tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71597969865987096422017-10-09T08:59:07.170-07:00Elder AJ GriffinPHILIPPINES CAUAYAN MISSIONElder Bryce Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446045546161741434noreply@blogger.comBlogger127125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7159796986598709642.post-32442095984069013442012-11-06T07:05:00.000-08:002012-11-06T07:06:27.727-08:00Thank you everyone!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yzCUYtfDLSA/UJKwfwirReI/AAAAAAAABGQ/N79QvkFRR9k/s1600/DSCN6528.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yzCUYtfDLSA/UJKwfwirReI/AAAAAAAABGQ/N79QvkFRR9k/s640/DSCN6528.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AJ with Elder and Sister Shaner</td></tr></tbody></table>As AJ makes his way home these next 36 hours, we just want to thank those that have helped our son in any way over the last two years. As a former missionary, I know what a difference a friendly face, some homemade cooking or even a hug can make in an Elder's life.<br />We will be eternally grateful to people like Pres. and Sis. Carlos, Elder and Sis. Shaner, Elder Ducky, Elder Weaver, Elder valdez and the countless members and non-members that had positive influences on our son. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!<br /><br />From the Shaners blog:<br /><span style="font-size: medium;">"This week we bade a fond farewell to Elder Griffin...he was our Zone Leader in Roxas for many months and we came to love him like one of ours. He reminds both of us so much of our youngest son and that probably strengthened the ties we had with him. As I type this, he is in Manila making his last minute preparations, repacking his suitcase and will fly out tomorrow morning to return to St George to his loving family who will greet him with open arms. We will miss this mighty warrior..."</span><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GWMBVaLrgiQ/UJKzaubyl3I/AAAAAAAABGs/8giwMzxVZIA/s1600/P1000439.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="304" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GWMBVaLrgiQ/UJKzaubyl3I/AAAAAAAABGs/8giwMzxVZIA/s320/P1000439.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span>Elder Bryce Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446045546161741434noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7159796986598709642.post-44903771541551198882012-11-03T21:05:00.001-07:002012-11-06T07:06:52.850-08:00St. George Airport -- long awaited arrival!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Aj arrived safe and sound and even a wee bit ahead of schedule! &nbsp;I got my long awaited mama hug and AJ looked healthy and happy. &nbsp;Says he is about 23 pounds lighter (but it looks like more to me!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">One of his bags didn't make it back but the airline delivered it 24 hours later. &nbsp;I don't think he even missed it!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zRynKJJNqxM/UJXnH3w94qI/AAAAAAAABHI/BT3krN-mgSo/s1600/DSCF0500.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zRynKJJNqxM/UJXnH3w94qI/AAAAAAAABHI/BT3krN-mgSo/s320/DSCF0500.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TkGs0gkrzCI/UJXnMMUKMGI/AAAAAAAABHQ/I0c0McxIImw/s1600/DSCF0501.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TkGs0gkrzCI/UJXnMMUKMGI/AAAAAAAABHQ/I0c0McxIImw/s320/DSCF0501.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CimicLRCbfA/UJXnQ5ph0kI/AAAAAAAABHY/fHFu8VY4HpE/s1600/DSCF0502.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CimicLRCbfA/UJXnQ5ph0kI/AAAAAAAABHY/fHFu8VY4HpE/s320/DSCF0502.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ifJ6q0PPCgk/UJXnVcs-MdI/AAAAAAAABHk/FmylSdE51YY/s1600/DSCF0503.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ifJ6q0PPCgk/UJXnVcs-MdI/AAAAAAAABHk/FmylSdE51YY/s320/DSCF0503.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WKtaPSR_Ze8/UJXnbe_rK4I/AAAAAAAABHs/LQaCoVT75S0/s1600/DSCF0504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WKtaPSR_Ze8/UJXnbe_rK4I/AAAAAAAABHs/LQaCoVT75S0/s320/DSCF0504.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xbOWhS8825A/UJXngNm3QMI/AAAAAAAABH0/NNfURvxjMdg/s1600/DSCF0505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xbOWhS8825A/UJXngNm3QMI/AAAAAAAABH0/NNfURvxjMdg/s320/DSCF0505.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mV3VKDoLuL8/UJXnj6BszEI/AAAAAAAABH8/zPpi-JyVed8/s1600/DSCF0506.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mV3VKDoLuL8/UJXnj6BszEI/AAAAAAAABH8/zPpi-JyVed8/s320/DSCF0506.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gNLSdfdJeWQ/UJXnoizyhaI/AAAAAAAABII/I5Ve0fcbmcM/s1600/DSCF0507.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gNLSdfdJeWQ/UJXnoizyhaI/AAAAAAAABII/I5Ve0fcbmcM/s320/DSCF0507.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-STeMbbiWh6c/UJXntZkiY1I/AAAAAAAABIQ/hTC1GnpKV7E/s1600/DSCF0508.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-STeMbbiWh6c/UJXntZkiY1I/AAAAAAAABIQ/hTC1GnpKV7E/s320/DSCF0508.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-egVaSoE1yCs/UJXnxzMwidI/AAAAAAAABIY/Kz_Rc35k8NI/s1600/DSCF0509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-egVaSoE1yCs/UJXnxzMwidI/AAAAAAAABIY/Kz_Rc35k8NI/s320/DSCF0509.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MHTSOlhko_A/UJXn23ZX-NI/AAAAAAAABIg/c2yCcqFKXcM/s1600/DSCF0510.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MHTSOlhko_A/UJXn23ZX-NI/AAAAAAAABIg/c2yCcqFKXcM/s320/DSCF0510.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S4JXGY-wHho/UJXn8HztIOI/AAAAAAAABIs/Z9DdjkSWdts/s1600/DSCF0511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S4JXGY-wHho/UJXn8HztIOI/AAAAAAAABIs/Z9DdjkSWdts/s320/DSCF0511.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-if896lKdv0o/UJXoBGvEhFI/AAAAAAAABI0/1ybKR6eyJM0/s1600/DSCF0512.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-if896lKdv0o/UJXoBGvEhFI/AAAAAAAABI0/1ybKR6eyJM0/s320/DSCF0512.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TPC060z3efk/UJXoGmDBMaI/AAAAAAAABI8/gaGUcT-r-Ag/s1600/DSCF0513.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TPC060z3efk/UJXoGmDBMaI/AAAAAAAABI8/gaGUcT-r-Ag/s320/DSCF0513.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-npym4hAZh1Q/UJXoLqjWhlI/AAAAAAAABJE/Kv0ydt6-1AQ/s1600/DSCF0514.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-npym4hAZh1Q/UJXoLqjWhlI/AAAAAAAABJE/Kv0ydt6-1AQ/s320/DSCF0514.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EqyHRMDvBIU/UJXoRYMXV4I/AAAAAAAABJQ/9Eo0o3eI86A/s1600/DSCF0515.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EqyHRMDvBIU/UJXoRYMXV4I/AAAAAAAABJQ/9Eo0o3eI86A/s320/DSCF0515.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IOiyfvpSRC4/UJXoXOI2rGI/AAAAAAAABJY/5nSK1aau0S0/s1600/DSCF0516.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IOiyfvpSRC4/UJXoXOI2rGI/AAAAAAAABJY/5nSK1aau0S0/s320/DSCF0516.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4VbqCK--5NI/UJXob0p0sBI/AAAAAAAABJg/U7puQADxcWE/s1600/DSCF0518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4VbqCK--5NI/UJXob0p0sBI/AAAAAAAABJg/U7puQADxcWE/s320/DSCF0518.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ts6OfcX-SA4/UJXogINRH1I/AAAAAAAABJo/Wfi7BYSkwc4/s1600/DSCF0519.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ts6OfcX-SA4/UJXogINRH1I/AAAAAAAABJo/Wfi7BYSkwc4/s320/DSCF0519.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LPOzt85nCus/UJXolgo0F0I/AAAAAAAABJ0/HSoJvUcqeEY/s1600/DSCF0520.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LPOzt85nCus/UJXolgo0F0I/AAAAAAAABJ0/HSoJvUcqeEY/s320/DSCF0520.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o66Jp6XaOIw/UJXoq2vvUDI/AAAAAAAABJ8/uK0Q81c70IM/s1600/DSCF0521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o66Jp6XaOIw/UJXoq2vvUDI/AAAAAAAABJ8/uK0Q81c70IM/s320/DSCF0521.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WiZCK4AUSMM/UJXou5C8mWI/AAAAAAAABKE/Zx-RPbzYMYE/s1600/DSCF0522.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WiZCK4AUSMM/UJXou5C8mWI/AAAAAAAABKE/Zx-RPbzYMYE/s320/DSCF0522.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Elder Bryce Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446045546161741434noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7159796986598709642.post-41763560773748244262012-10-30T20:05:00.001-07:002012-10-30T20:05:22.802-07:00Week 105: The final letter...Aj's coming home!<br /><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">Dear Family,</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">Well this is it. I can't describe my feeling right now and how very grateful to be a part of what has just happened over the last two years. I have been thinking a lot about what really has happened and about all the people my&nbsp;companions&nbsp;and I have come to know. It absolutely amazes me what things have happened and I really feel like Ammon felt for his mission and his converts. &nbsp;I really could have never comprehended how much could happen as a result of the mission. I love the people and will never forget them.&nbsp;I have seen how what the general authorities have said about mission being a life changing performance, sacred ground and lessons that will be needed for all life. &nbsp;I've really seen it&nbsp;</span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">fulfilled</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">&nbsp; I also know and have seen with my own eyes that the Prophet and mission president have really placed me in the right place and that I have met the right people.&nbsp;</span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">So we had a great week of work and last&nbsp;Monday&nbsp;we had an FHE with the Sarzon family and President and Sister Carlos also the AP's. Tatay Sadiri presided and conducted the Home evening (we have been training him to be a super awesome dad and&nbsp;priesthood&nbsp;holder) and he also gave a part of the lesson it was awesome.&nbsp;</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">By the way this week he finished all of Alma and is in Helaman by now what a stud. So on Saturday we had a fantastic baptism and I got to dunk tatay Sadiri and also an investigator of the the sisters (we had our baptism combined). President and Sister Carlos also came to the baptism and it was great.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">It was a perfect last&nbsp;Saturday&nbsp;of a mission.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">Well I love you tons. This is has truly been the best two years and I'll never be the same. I will never forget the miracles I have seen as a missionary for The&nbsp;Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Lots of people say to serve a mission is a&nbsp;sacrifice&nbsp;but it really is a&nbsp;privilege. I am blessed to have been given the chance to serve a mission. President Carlos always teaches us that who we become is a lot more important that what we do or have done. I think it's a miracle that as we have this life changing experience that the Lord blesses us with miracles. &nbsp;I have so many eternal friends here in the Philippines. It really is true like that song that talks about our finding our friends from pre-earth life. (song: I'll Find you my Friend, by Linda Hartmann)</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">Love you and SEE YOU ON FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<wbr></wbr>!!!!!!!!!</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">A.J.&nbsp;</div>Elder Bryce Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446045546161741434noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7159796986598709642.post-43149058425195499482012-10-24T18:51:00.000-07:002012-10-24T18:52:13.940-07:00Week 104: Baby Drinking Coke from a Baby Bottle and BYU!!!!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-flUwBlQ9BZU/UIiZ4BdLy-I/AAAAAAAABFk/i6-KsmTL6XQ/s1600/P1050288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-flUwBlQ9BZU/UIiZ4BdLy-I/AAAAAAAABFk/i6-KsmTL6XQ/s320/P1050288.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; text-align: start;"><b>Sister Cathlene being tempted by <br />&nbsp;chocolate during FHE lesson</b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">Hey family!</span><br /><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">Well the time is far spent! I am really stoked to hear about BYU and I</span><span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">&nbsp;am excited for this last week. Gonna leave it all on the field! So we had another awesome week so let me tell you about it!&nbsp;</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">So Brother Sadiri Salarsen past his interview this week and, by the way, we found out this week he is already in Alma in his reading from the start. This past week one of the things we shared about was tithing. I really think tithing is one of my favorite things to teach about, especially in the Philippines, where people are so poor. I really, really believe in the law of tithing. It's so amazing to be able to tell people about the blessing the Lord will pour out if they will live this law. I also feel this is a lesson where I especially feel the spirit. I am very thankful to you mom and dad for teaching me the law of tithing from a young age.&nbsp;</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">So with the Salarsen family, brother Sadiri and a few of his grandchildren are the only ones who come to church so far. His wife either has a concern or isn'<span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">t quite ready but she always listens with the family and is really nice. So anyway we had stake conference yesterday (which had some great speakers including the Carlos couple). &nbsp;The president, in his talk, talked about some families in the past that had the husband or wife ready to be baptized but&nbsp;their&nbsp;spouse not quite ready. &nbsp;What happened was that the President talked to them and they were able to help them be baptized as a family. After conference I took brother Sadiri to meet the President and I also told the President about&nbsp;their&nbsp;situation and he said alright I'll come work with you what tomorrow. &nbsp;I told him we&nbsp;actually&nbsp;had FHE at their house&nbsp;scheduled&nbsp;and he said that would be great -- so its gonna be great. Sister Carlos said she is making cupcakes. &nbsp;I am way excited.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">Also super funny, we were walking to the palengke (the market) earlier today and there was a mom holding a baby about a year old or so and the baby was drinking a coke in a glass bottle like a baby bottle. Only in the Philippines, ha-ha.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">We are teaching this family with the last name, Go. So they have been really&nbsp;interested&nbsp;and read everything we give them and accept almost everything we have been teaching them. The last time or two they told us about their church (some kind of born again) and that they want to be baptized here but they they are gonna tell their pastor and ask if it's alright if they can get baptized. Anyway we didn't really know what to tell him because of course the pastor isn't going to say that's ok. I felt&nbsp;inspired&nbsp;to share the story of Abinidi and we just read Mos. chapter 17. It seemed to be the perfect thing to share with them and we just talked about doing the right thing because its true even in spite of opposition and we talked about how Abindi gave his life because he refused to deny his testimony.&nbsp;</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">We met a couple of members this week that have been inactive and have joined another particular church that is known for not having very polite members. Both of the guys were kind of saying yeah, where ever you go to church is the same and we'll all be saved. &nbsp;The second we met this guy my first instinct was getting irritated that someone could have made the decision to be member and than have this attitude. I wanted to get mad or condemn him or something but for some reason I didn't. A new idea popped into my head and what ended up happening was that he invited us to come and teach him and his wife. He seemed genuinely interested in listening to missionaries again. (He is in another area so I grabbed his address and name and availability and gave his info to the other missionaries) but after getting off the tryce (all this happened on a tryce) I really felt like I learned a &nbsp;lesson about the atonement and about how the spirit works.&nbsp;</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">So I have a million more things I want to tell you about but we gotta be heading out soon. We have a a really awesome investigator that came to church for the second time this week named Jason (I sent a pic last week at church). &nbsp;We gave him a date this week and he has all kinds of questions about serving a mission. &nbsp;He really wants to go on a mission. &nbsp;He is super golden.&nbsp;</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">Speaking of which President shared with us that in the last 2 weeks since conference the missionary department has received 8000 applications for missionaries (they usually only get 500-800 in the same period). So the Lord is really hastening his work and needs everyone to help gather his sheep. That's gonna help the missions out a ton and open lots of areas and really help the work move even faster.&nbsp;</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">I love you tons and we literally see miracles every week. We are gonna have a great week this week and I love you tons!!!</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">AJ</div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Yfc50JwgG-k/UIiZ6rShfRI/AAAAAAAABFs/1R6fhI8xAU8/s1600/P1050298.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Yfc50JwgG-k/UIiZ6rShfRI/AAAAAAAABFs/1R6fhI8xAU8/s320/P1050298.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; text-align: start;"><b>FHE at Salarsen's home</b></span></td></tr></tbody></table>Elder Bryce Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446045546161741434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7159796986598709642.post-35286185393677284142012-10-15T19:49:00.000-07:002012-10-15T19:59:31.301-07:00Week 103: Zone Conference, General Conference and more miracles<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-18YchvwNdqA/UHzL0RgyeVI/AAAAAAAABE0/pIkUrQyrug0/s1600/P1050274.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-18YchvwNdqA/UHzL0RgyeVI/AAAAAAAABE0/pIkUrQyrug0/s320/P1050274.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; text-align: start;"><b>Tatay Sadri Salarsen and his 3 grandchildren (from left to right Majorie, Princess and Diane) at general conference. Tatay Sadri will be baptized on October 27.<br />&nbsp;His grandchildren and wife and the girls parents have a goal date on the 24th of November.</b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">Dear family,</span><br /><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">Wow what a great week. We had zone conferences and general conference and it was a really quick week. So I am really grateful to be serving as a missionary. I really know that this work is true and we see miracles everyday.&nbsp;</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">So one of the coolest things that happened to us was this, we were going to a LA (less active) family and on the way saw a young father and mother and their two little kids. We felt inspired to talk to them but we went to the LA first and they weren't home so we went right back to that family. We started talking to him and it turned out to be a tryce driver that had given me and Elder Mclauglhin a ride my first week in this area. We were going really far and hadn't negotiated the price before so I thought we were gonna get charged a ton. We asked him how much when we got there and he only charged us the minimum. We were shocked because everyone always tries to rip us off especially when it's 2 Americans. &nbsp;So being inspired or because he was just so nice we gave him a Book of Mormon but weren't able to get his address or anything.&nbsp;</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">When we met him again this week he invited us in and we were able to share with him. I guess he has read a bit of the Book of Mormon and is interested but his sister that lives in their house has been reading all the time in the Book of Mormon she took with her that day when we visited. (We didn't meet her yet but will be going later tonight). They are really humble family. His wive's business of selling stuff&nbsp;actually&nbsp;all got burned last week (all at a loss, there is no fire insurance at least not for small&nbsp;business&nbsp;here in the Philippines) (A big departments store and like half the Santiago palengke caught fire and burned destroying everything like 2 weeks ago). We are excited for them and we go back later today.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">So I think I mentioned Brother Harry a few ago. I guess he talked to parents and his parents don't want him to become a Mormon but he can still be taught and go to church for the time being. His cousin and grandpa have been listening as well. His cousin is like 17 and she is in college. We taught them the Law of Chasity last week and this week she told us that she had a debate class thingy at school about whether unmarried couples should have sex. She told us that she went against it and explained what we had shared to her and used the Law of Chasity pamphlet as a source and that she also won the debate. I thought that was pretty cool. The weird things is she hasn't really been reading assignments and has yet to come to church but it sounds like she is more bold than most members about that.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">So Jason (see the pics) came to general conference this week. We&nbsp;actually&nbsp;went to him on Saturday but he was gone but his mom said he had bought a polo and had it all ready for Sunday. So far we have only taught him that first time but we were able to share the story of the Prophet Joesph Smith and It was really powerful discussion. He seemed to enjoy conference on&nbsp;Sunday&nbsp;and he actually knows quite a few people at church and was sitting with friends. His mother seemed very nice too and said she would listen next time we come.&nbsp;</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">So the Salarsen family is doing very well. Tatay has come to church 5 times now and is really excited to be baptized. He is being interviewed on Saturday and will probably be the last baptism of my mission. His wife always listens and promised to go to church before I go home but doesn'<span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">t seem quite as ready. She did however accept a goal date on Nov 24. The 3 girls you saw in the picture have goal dates on the 24th as well as their parents. (They all accepted but the girls and tatay are the only ones to come to church so far)</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">I can't&nbsp;</span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">remember</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">&nbsp;if I told you how we found Tatay Salarsen but maybe I'll tell it again because I don't think we have yet.&nbsp;</span></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fxGff0I6YdA/UHzL4WTotLI/AAAAAAAABE8/et8ICN8PLeE/s1600/P1050276.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fxGff0I6YdA/UHzL4WTotLI/AAAAAAAABE8/et8ICN8PLeE/s320/P1050276.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; text-align: start;"><b>AJ broke Elder Valdez -- He doesn't eat rice anymore. <br />He packed a giant ham and egg sandwich for general conference.</b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">So E. Mclauglhin and I had got kicked from our&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">appointments</span><span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">&nbsp;and were just walking trying to figure out where to go and we saw a Tatay chillin' in a hammock. &nbsp;So I said, hey, lets try him. We talked to him and he invited us to sit down and to share with him. We were just talking to him and asking about his family and he told us that one of his children had died. &nbsp;We asked what happened. He said that when one of his daughters was 7 she was coming home from school and got hit by a car and was killed.&nbsp;</span></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">I had just listened to the Holland talk about how we need to&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">listen</span><span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">&nbsp;and teach to others' needs. He told a story about how a widow in the 50's got tracted by missionaries. What happened was she slammed the door in their face and but the Elders didn't give up, and knocked again. She said, "you're ministers right?"&nbsp;</span></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">The elders said yes and she said that's enough get lost. &nbsp;The elders got a foot in the door and said we are just innocent young men we have message. &nbsp;Why don't you like ministers?&nbsp;</span></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">She then told a story about how her child died at a young age. &nbsp;She went to a minister of a church and the minister told her that her baby was in hell and she was going to hell too because she didn't have her baby baptized. &nbsp;The Elders than asked her if she wanted to know where her child was. </span></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">She said more than anything she wanted to know. The Elders then opened up to Moroni 8 and were able to share&nbsp;their&nbsp;testimony and win her heart over. &nbsp;The lady said that was the first she had ever felt the spirit.&nbsp;</span></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">Then years later in the Czech Republic she was a legend because her and sister kept the church alive in Croatia, keeping their tithing in glass jars for decades during the world war II.</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">Elder Holland said it all started because of a missionary that had the sense to know what was in Moroni 8 and he also said it might not be Moroni 8 -- &nbsp;any given day or investiagtor -- &nbsp;but that if we are obiedient, giving our all and being worthy of the spirit we are entiteled to know what that investigator needs.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">So returning to Tatay Sadri, &nbsp;I had listened to that talk like just a few days later and it really was Moroni 8. So we asked him if he wanted to know where she was and then read the words of Mormon in the 8th chapter on Moroni. Tatay shared with us afterwords the peace and joy he felt because he knew where his child was. So that's where it has started and he has been amazing ever since. You'll have to listen to that talk by Holland when I get home. &nbsp;It's on my SD card</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">I am so grateful for everything that has happened. I am near the end of what has been a faith building, life changing experience and we see miracles everyday. I know that the Lord works though small and simple things and also through the weak and unlearned people. I am excited to be coming home soon but I will definitely miss the wonderful people here and a part of me will be missing as I have really come to love being a missionary and using all my time to invite others to come unto the savior. I love the savior and have come to know him more in these last 23 months. I will never be the same and I will never forget the people I have met here&nbsp;especially&nbsp;those that changed everything to forsake their old lives and follow the savior.<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2UxhwLamOjQ/UHzL7-OPkMI/AAAAAAAABFE/yXFpMVZWhYw/s1600/P1050282.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2UxhwLamOjQ/UHzL7-OPkMI/AAAAAAAABFE/yXFpMVZWhYw/s320/P1050282.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; text-align: start;"><b>Nanay Ester, on the left -- She is 73 and a widow and is really golden. <br />She came to general conference as well and this was her 2nd week at church</b>.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">I love you tons!!!</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">A.J.&nbsp;</span></div>Elder Bryce Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446045546161741434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7159796986598709642.post-20385363225358202302012-10-10T18:52:00.000-07:002012-10-10T18:52:18.733-07:00Week 102: We all have eternal potential<br /><div class="ReadMsgBody" id="mpf0_readMsgBodyContainer"><div class="SandboxScopeClass ExternalClass" id="mpf0_MsgContainer"><div>Dear Family,</div><div><br /></div><div>We had a really good week and a lot of success. This week a family we have been teaching came to church for the first time and also a 70+ year old lady came to church for the first time. We found both of them tracting and we have so many great investigators right now. I really love the people and they all have such great potential. I realized that if you are obedient and prepare yourself in those important hours in the morning, when you go out to work you can expect miracles and even if your plan doesn't go though if you apply yourself you can find what the lord really had in store for you to do as a full time missionary. And I also realized that the lord really has miracles in store for all times of the day even in times that it is hard to fine people to teach and that we are definitely not alone as we push through those times when its discouraging, being rejected, hot, rainy, tiring etc.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>So whenever president is told about how there are mean people or people don't want to accept the truth he was says they are ALL good people and it really is true. Even if there are people that don't accept the message we can look at the big picture and they all have eternal potential, they all have time sometime in the future when they might accept the gospel.&nbsp;</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EJjz9bLdDFE/UHYmBo3UfyI/AAAAAAAABEU/Du6ilv2rOJQ/s1600/P1050265.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EJjz9bLdDFE/UHYmBo3UfyI/AAAAAAAABEU/Du6ilv2rOJQ/s320/P1050265.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; text-align: start;">Family night with the Deguzman family</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>So Brother Sadri, the tatay that has been doing awesome is doing really great. He has a date one 27 and is really ready. I really love his attitude he is like Nephi where there is will there is a way. Its funny he always scolds his children and grandchildren when we ask if they read and they haven't yet and about church and stuff. He is like hey you promised to go to church by didn't you keep your promise? And then if they have an excuse then he is always like get ur done: there is a way if you want to. He is great.</div><div><br /></div><div>We also found a really great investigator. On like Wednesday morning we had a plan and like a back up plan and triple back up plan and they all fell through and we after that we tried one more house of someone we had talked to before and they&nbsp;weren't&nbsp;there but their neighbor we met who is an 18 year old kid named Jason and we were able to share to him. He really seems golden and everything kind of clicked with him. He wanted to go to church this week but had a college field trip in Baguio city but promised he would come next week. So next week as well is conference. You can put your money on the prophet.</div><div><br /></div><div>So we met this really humble and&nbsp;receptive&nbsp;tatay this week and when we first talked to him he told us about how one if his children died while still a baby and we were able to share Moroni 8 and tell him where his baby was he afterward described feeling that is the spirit and said they he was really happy to know that truth of where is child. We went back once and he is doing great.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>We have a bunch of really great families that we have been teaching. One is the Garcia family. So the dad sells peanuts around the town and the wife cooks them and they have a bunch of other side jobs as well. So the last few time we went there is seems like they have been kind of losing&nbsp;interest&nbsp;and I think on Wednesday they were cooking peanuts and said to just come back another day so we were kind of losing hope but on&nbsp;Saturday&nbsp;we were able to share again and it was really great lesson and then they said they would try to come to church(like 95 percent of the time try here means no) so we were super surprised to see them at church. In gospel principles the lesson was eternal families so i think they had a good experience.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Also This old lady i think 74? that we met tracting maybe a month ago came to church for the first time yesterday. So this lady is named Ester and the first few times we came by she has been really&nbsp;interested. Everything we left her she has been reading and she would tell us everything about the pamphlet and was really awesome. The last few weeks whenever we went by she hasn't been there and then yesterday she came to church early and by herself so I think she has been reading the Book of Mormon.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K04bwMuZSoM/UHYlfIEtwNI/AAAAAAAABEM/clSmRTNrc7k/s1600/P1050269.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K04bwMuZSoM/UHYlfIEtwNI/AAAAAAAABEM/clSmRTNrc7k/s320/P1050269.JPG" width="320" /></a>So I know this work is true and it is really the Lords work. We see miracles everyday and this has&nbsp;definitely&nbsp;been the happiest time of my life. I am really excited to hear about the mission age and I am excited for Dallas and Bryce. &nbsp;They will also feel the happiness of helping people hear and accept the gospel. I am excited to see you in a few weeks but sad to leave here and the people that have become a part of my life.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Love you!!!!!</div><div><br /></div><div>A.J.</div></div></div>Elder Bryce Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446045546161741434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7159796986598709642.post-89907715325046005682012-10-05T14:09:00.002-07:002012-10-05T14:09:34.931-07:00Week 101: Continuing to find humbled and prepared people<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><br /></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OHElX1U6qwA/UG9L3PrejdI/AAAAAAAABD0/1eTQ3fII8X4/s1600/P1050261.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OHElX1U6qwA/UG9L3PrejdI/AAAAAAAABD0/1eTQ3fII8X4/s320/P1050261.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; text-align: start;">I made tacos this week yummmm. I found taco sauce at the store last week -- first time I ever saw it in the Philippines except at the mission home.&nbsp;</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">Dear Family,</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">Wow it's October already!&nbsp; So today I opened up the Cauayan mission newsletter and found my name on the people that will be going home next. It was quite alarming I kept trying to find the typo but I guess it really will end someday. It definitely doesn't feel like its been 23 months. So we had a great week finding and teaching and we have a lot of great investigators right now.</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">So first of we met a guy and really seemed to be looking for some hope in life. So a few weeks ago we talked to this tryce driver and felt prompted to give him a Book of Mormon.&nbsp; So fast forward a few weeks and was talking to a tryce driver again and we set up a appointment but we didn't know it was the same guy. So we go to the appointment a few days later and he wasn't there. So we went back again a week later which was last Wednesday and the guy was there. So we starting talking to him and it turns out he was the guy we had oymed twice and gave a Book of Mormon. So he opened up and told us his life story about how he had major regrets with some things that have happened in his life and how he had contemplated suicide and really humbled guy. We were able to share to him the miracle of forgiveness and about repentance. He also said that us talking to him had been answers to his prayers. Well we will go back on Wednesday but he really seems like a person who has been humbled and prepared and seems to be someone that was really looking for hope in life.</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">So Harry the 15 year old that has been reading like crazy in the Book of Mormon has been doing really good. We had a couple really great lessons with them this week. They really hard up for money right now and sometimes they don't have enough money to go to school. So he hasn't been going to school some days. Anyways he has been wanting to go to church and has the same problem no money. So on Friday we had some time after one of our appointment with harry we went to this member of the Stake presidency&nbsp; on that street and just asked for a referral, he showed us his neighbor that is member. We shared with them and they said they have been wanting to come back to for a while and they I think they have a great potential of being returned. So we were walking to our next appointment and just getting soaked in rain(we got soaked like 2 or 3 days in a row I think :). The member of the stake presidency guy has a truck and I was thinking as we walked "man wouldn't be great to just have our investigators that are hard for money just ride with him" and the the spirit connected the dots in my head and we turned around went to Harry's house and had him met the member and the member was more than happy to take him to church and harry went to church for the first time on Sunday. We had a really great lesson yesterday with harry and his cousin. They asked us why we would want to give all our time and stuff to be a missionary and we were able to tell our stories about how we ended up on a mission and why we want to be there. The spirit was really strong and we feel harry(and hopefully) the other people in his house will be baptized. (by the way harry already quit smoking and his cousin quit drinking coffee and they have been doing great)</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;" /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">Brother Salarsen is still amazing. He came to church again this week and brought his son and one of his granddaughters. On Saturday we taught him about the&nbsp;</span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Sabbath</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">&nbsp;and he said that after church he usually goes and checks on his farm and stuff but after we read the commandment he said I guess that is wrong, I wont do that anymore. It was great to be able to promise him that the Lord will take care of his crops for him if he will follow the&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sabbath</span><span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">&nbsp;day. He uses some of the things with the word of wisdom but the day we taught him the word of wisdom like a week and a half ago he has not touched any of it. We still have lots of people listen every time we go there with all his children and grandchildren and stuff.&nbsp;</span></span></span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;" /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">We have been teaching this one guy who was a former iglesia ni cristo but was excommed(in the iglesia if you dont go to church for like a month u get excommed) and anyway he has lots of questions and doesn't agree with some of the stuff but is teach able. Anyway he is kind of funny. He was so&nbsp;</span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">surprised</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">&nbsp;about the book of&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Mormon</span><span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">&nbsp;and stuff what he calls a "there is a third testament!!??!?" after we taught him about Joesph Smith he didn't agree with the Father having a a body and Elder Cuartel told him about the creation and forming them in our image and we was like hey your right. All of our lessons have been going back to the pray about and he said he would read the book of&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Mormon</span><span style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">&nbsp;and pray about it.&nbsp;</span></span></span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">Brother Agasid, the guy who hadn't been to church in 15 years came to church again and we are having a Family Home Evening later tonight at their house.&nbsp;</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">We have had the privilege of teaching a lot of new investigators that are families. Its the greatest feeling to teach a complete breakfast and of course devastating if they don't come through but its really great knowing that they could be the family that is prepared.&nbsp;</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">Well I love you tons. I know the church is true and that Jesus really did the infinite and eternal atonement. I know he loves and knows us. I know that the Lord does call prophets and apostles in our time. I know that Thomas S. Monson is really a the living senior apostle on the earth today. By the way I have been studying revelations this last week. They are awesome.</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">Love you!!!!</span>Elder Bryce Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446045546161741434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7159796986598709642.post-21946215432129752872012-09-24T16:41:00.000-07:002012-09-24T17:56:28.527-07:00Week 100: It's officially the last cycle of mission<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tiv6sHPQGso/UGD-pv9SwDI/AAAAAAAABDM/7dh8hCS4ltc/s1600/P1050260.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tiv6sHPQGso/UGD-pv9SwDI/AAAAAAAABDM/7dh8hCS4ltc/s320/P1050260.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: start;">This is my new Comp Elder Cuartel (spanish for prison)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Alrighty so first off we had transfer day and I just got my last companion. He is from Negros Occidental (southern islands) and is a convert to the church. He actually is really from Manilla and was disowned when is parents found out he was taking the discussions (by the way his dad has 3 wives). &nbsp;So after that he on his own ended up living in the southern islands and is a stud. He is just over a year in the mission and he is really hard working and down for anything. He reminds me a lot of Elder Daquioug. Our roomates Elder Williamson and Valdez didn't have any changes so we should have a great last cycle. Also this cycle 14 new missionaries came into the mission(only 5 went home) so a bunch of areas got opened up and also the BYU's closer in baseball arrived last Thursday and he is a stud. We played football earlier and yes he can also throw a football very fast and accurately.</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Also super cool on thursday, I saw Brother Mobydick from Roxas as he has a van and Roxas rented his van so we got to talk to him and he is doing awesome. (I was transferred a week before he was baptized). Also super cool he brought me 2 Dr. Peppers that they got in Roxas. (I guess back in the day they were all talking about their favorite soft drinks I was telling them how great Dr. Pepper was) Also on Sunday, His wife went to church in the other ward here in Santiago(she has family in santiago) and she gave me 2 more Dr. Peppers, this time Cherry Dr. Pepper. I felt very loved and they are super awesome eh?</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">We had a really good week and our biggest success of the week was that yesterday a LA tatay came to church for the first time in almost 16 years and that in itself is great miracle. So this guy we had received his name from his brother who is an active member. And so we gave him a try. And over the last cycle we have been teaching them a few times a week. So President has been telling us to not push that we need to get those Less actives to church but to not mention it and just focus on teaching the doctrine and then president said that if they understand the doctrine that they will go to church without us even telling them and they will come back for good. So we haven't even mention or pushed them to come back to church but that we could share with them and we were super surprised yesterday as he came to church and stayed for the whole block. The last he went to church was 1996! Anyway we helped him meet the bishop and stuff and he said that now he really wants to come back for good. What a miracle!</span><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VXiANnkcAVI/UGD_FwRLb6I/AAAAAAAABDU/lzj3-QU2cPY/s1600/P1050255a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VXiANnkcAVI/UGD_FwRLb6I/AAAAAAAABDU/lzj3-QU2cPY/s320/P1050255a.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: start;">We had a FHE at Recent converts house Valdez last monday</span>&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">So update on brother Harry the 16 year old kid we have been teaching with his cousin and uncle. So he has gotten answers to prayers and has almost finished reading 1 nephi and is doing really great. He wasn't able to go to church this week but he is doing really good and we just taught him the word of wisdom, apparently he smokes cigarettes but he promised to stop and follow the word of wisdom.</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Also update on the Sadri Salarsen family that we have been teaching. They are doing really awesome as well and they accepted a baptismal date on oct 27th. The grandpa and his granddaughter came to church yesterday and they are solid. His wife and some of his kids aren't sure yet but they always listen and are reading and praying as well and I feel they will follow grandpa's example. Brother Sadri is really stoked about being baptized</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Also found on Thursday that a ton of people that we had found and been teaching have been baptized or are doing really great and are close to be baptized. Also on Saturday night we were walking home from last appoitment of the day on the highway and then someone drove by and called my name and then pulled to the side. It was the branch president from aritao and he said that the Calica family(the really old couple we baptized in aritao, the Grandpa that read almost the whole Book of Mormon before he was baptized) are doing really active and are taking temple prep and will be going on the temple trip on Dec. 11 to get endowed and sealed!!!&nbsp;</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">This week we also met a Mother at her house and gave her something to read and when we went back we found out that one of her relatives had just died a few days before after all of the sudden getting sick and going into a coma. We felt the spirit very strongly as we were able to tell her where her loved one is and we were able to testify of the plan of salvation. I dont know if she is interested in the church or if anything will result of it but it was humbling to be put in the position to testify and help this lady in her time of need.&nbsp;</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YHlBREPP9fw/UGEA8b64SsI/AAAAAAAABDc/dEztBbqow8w/s1600/P1050259.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YHlBREPP9fw/UGEA8b64SsI/AAAAAAAABDc/dEztBbqow8w/s320/P1050259.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: start;">Elder Cuartel enjoying his first cherry Dr. Pepper of his life</span>&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">So its really crazy. I am now in my last planner and last cycle of my mission. I really miss home and y'all but I dont want to go home. The people here are so amazing. They so humble and kind and generous and so receptive to the gospel. It amazing that we can go tracting and can't go more than 2 or 3 houses without getting accepted. It really is true that in the pre earth life that we had friends that are waiting here and that we had promises to find them. And I am so grateful to have met the people here. I have made friendships that are truly eternal. I know that the call to come on a mission is really from a prophet of God and It blows my mind that the prophet and mission president can put us in the right spots with the right companions to met the right people that are ready to give it all to know Christ. I know that the mission is the greatest thing a young man can do and I've never been happier. I know that as Dallas and Bryce prepare themselves to give everything up for 2 years that they will see miracles and learn lesson and make friendships that will change their lives forever.</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I know that this work is so true and I have come to know as well that the Lord really knows us and really does bless us with his tender mercies every day so keep your eyes open and think about what the Lord has blessed us with at the end of the day. It still amazes me that the as we prepare ourselves the Lord will really use us as instrments every minute we are out of the apartments to talk to his children that are ready to receive the gospel, that need answers to prayers, that need hope. The missionary expericience of a lifetime is waiting for your dallas bryce prepare now.</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I love you tons!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">love,</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">A.J.</span>Elder Bryce Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446045546161741434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7159796986598709642.post-29199972162152188772012-09-20T17:21:00.004-07:002012-09-20T17:22:15.780-07:00Week 99: Baptism scheduled for last Saturday in the mission!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8nTH0jZQ6BQ/UFuw2yD67nI/AAAAAAAABC0/fjHNjRpl_mI/s1600/P1050254+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8nTH0jZQ6BQ/UFuw2yD67nI/AAAAAAAABC0/fjHNjRpl_mI/s320/P1050254+(1).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elder Griffin completed his career workshop. &nbsp;The end is in sight!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Dear Family,</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">What a great week. It was even faster and greater than last week. Its been a pretty hot week here but last night we got poured on again :). Last wednesday was the trunky meeting (career workshop) I went on splits with someone on their way home in October and for half the day Elder Mclaughlin was left here in santiago with his comp. It was a weird meeting. &nbsp;Usually the meetings in cauyan are all so inspiring and about missionary work and stuff and it was like about what your gonna do when you get home. It was weird. I did however learn a lot and it was very good. Its just an unusual feeling cuz it feels like the mission is all I can remember and it doesn't feel like it's gonna end. It felt like we left our nets like Peter and James and now they are teaching us how to fish again... I cant explain it...</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">So on the other hand we had great week of work. And everyday we get up study and then as soon as we leave the house the day flies by! So we had a really cool success this week. A couple of weeks ago we felt prompted to talk this older man as we went by his house. &nbsp;He was out front in a hammock and we talked to him. We have been back a few times and on Saturday we taught about baptism and how through Joesph Smith the authority was restored. He has since gotten answers to his prayers and yesterday he came to church for the first time and he beat most of the members -- he was 30 mins early! He really enjoyed church and he seems really like an honest seeker of truth. His name is Sadri Salarsen. &nbsp;His family is the one we talked about last week where tons of them listened to us -- like all his children and their families and his grandchildren. He is the grandpa of all of them and he is doing awesome.</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">This week we also have been teaching a young couple and they told us as we came by for the 3rd visit that when we came by and felt prompted to talk to them they had been having a hard day and had been praying for some kind of hope and it wasn't long until we came by! As we were talking to them we explained that we weren't planning on visiting them but as we walked by we felt prompted and that we believed it wasn't just an accident that we met.&nbsp; The wife told us that when we said that she thought the same thing as well. We have been back a few times since and the sister has a kid that went to church with her neighbors and the husband is really interested as well and they have great potential.</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">So a few weeks ago on the bus we met this guy named Paul and he was intrested in listening to us. So we got his address and visited him a few days later. With him and his nephews(about 18 or so) and his daughter. We had a good lesson and we gave them a Book of Mormon. We went back a week later and only the nephew Harry was there and he seems really interested. So we taught about the restoration and told him to pray about it. So on Wednesday we were coming back from Cauayun on a bus and this Harry kid gets on the bus and he sees me and he's like, hey, I read all of what you asked me to read and a bunch more and then he got an answer to his prayer. So we went back again this Sunday (they all have jobs and stuff and school so Sunday is their only day together) and they were all there. So we ended up reading 3 Nephi 11 with them and it was so awesome. &nbsp;They totally understood it and wanted to be baptized we tied it up to how Joesph Smith recieved that same authority and that Elder Mclaughlin gave them all baptismal goal dates on the 27th of October (by the way that's my last Saturday in the mission!) &nbsp;They are very cool and I hope they can make the date.&nbsp;</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">One the couples that has a baptismal date has been struggling reading and really getting into the Book of Mormon. Well anyway this Saturday they got sick and weren't able to come to church, which may have actually been a blessing in disguise, as they read a ton of the Book of Mormon and seem to be gaining a greater understanding and love for the Book of Mormon.</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Alrighty so we gotta run but I know the church is true and I am amazed at how many miracles really do happen everyday. I love you!!!!</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Love,</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">A.J.</span>Elder Bryce Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446045546161741434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7159796986598709642.post-43665893035223019432012-09-12T17:08:00.000-07:002012-09-12T17:14:58.050-07:00Week 98: Alma preaching by the waters of Mormon<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Dear Family,</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Wow time is unbelievable I feel like i just barely got down emailing yesterday and its already Monday again.&nbsp; So the work is good.&nbsp;</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w-KOBw3nODw/UFElFUdIiZI/AAAAAAAABCc/WxsGIffXOBE/s1600/chicken+on+a+stick.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w-KOBw3nODw/UFElFUdIiZI/AAAAAAAABCc/WxsGIffXOBE/s320/chicken+on+a+stick.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elder Griffin enjoying chicken on a stick</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">So that young mother I was talking about last week is doing great. Her name is Edith an so she has really been golden right from the beginning and when we first started teaching her we got a referal from an investigator that turned out to be her sister. So last week Sister edith and her one child came to church and this week she brought all her kids and her sister that we have been teaching as well(she also has 3 kids and her husband is abroad) and her sisters kids to church. The ward seemed really excited to see new investigators and did a good job fellowshipping. In gospel principles the ward mission leader taught about tithing and right after they went to the bishops office and paid their tithing. It was cool to see their faith and their following it right after they learned about it. It seems like heavenly father really has a plan for their family it was crazy that we got refereed to her sister by someone else at the same time we were teaching her sister. I'm pretty sure it wasn't a coincidence.&nbsp;</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">So we are still teaching the Paz couple. They are doing all right. So this week they havent been able to all the things they needed to do to be ready for baptism and we really felt that we needed to give them few more weeks to get ready. So we explained it on friday and they were kind of upset and it was really hard and I tried to to explain with love and stuff and also explain what it was they need to do to be ready in a few more weeks and it was overall just hard but we felt like we really had to move it back a few weeks. But last night when we went back the husband really opened up that he wasnt quite ready and that he really needed a few more weeks and that he didnt feel worthy yet to be baptized but in the coming weeks he would do all he needed to do to be ready. He also said that somehow God made a way to give him a few more weeks to prepare and that he really needed the preparation. It was really hard to move back their dates but on sunday night it seemed God really showed us why and I think it will be so much more better for them to be baptized after giving a special effort to be ready and I learned that we need to really follow the promptings that we get.&nbsp;</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">So we have few areas we work in and whenever we have extra time we go and talk to people and stuff. So in this one area we found this family and when we taught them for the first time they called all their cousins and grandma's and grandpas and stuff(in the philippines people related often live in a group of homes) until there is a good 20 or so people from ages 8 to 88 listening. So we have been back like 3 times or so and whenever we go they all listen and are really interested. Its really crazy feeling, we honestly feel like we are like alma preaching to the people by the waters of Mormon or something like that. I dont know how to explain it but they are really cool and have great potential.&nbsp;</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">So I know that this work is true and I am so humbled to share this great message of hope and love. It is hard when people don't accept the message but how great is the joy when we are privleged to be given success and when we get to see people use their agency to do the right. So I love you tons and I know the mission is the best experience a young man could have a part in and I know the work is so true!</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Love you tons! Have a great week!!!</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">A.J.</span>Elder Bryce Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446045546161741434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7159796986598709642.post-27550638829653041882012-09-12T17:05:00.001-07:002012-09-12T17:05:57.359-07:00Week 97: AJ Celebrates 21st Birthday and Finds 1-star pizza joint<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6UR1DftzuO8/UFEjR8F0wFI/AAAAAAAABCU/DxgDABXG56c/s1600/1starpizza.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6UR1DftzuO8/UFEjR8F0wFI/AAAAAAAABCU/DxgDABXG56c/s320/1starpizza.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Dear Family</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Wow so last week I said it was one of the coolest/quickest weeks of my misison. Well this week was even cooler and even faster!!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">So one cool tender mercy of the Lord was that the last couple of weeks the store was out of our favorite hotdogs and I wanted to BBQ hotdogs on my birthday and on Monday they had tons and tons of hotdogs of all different kinds!! I also used some of the money you and grandma gave me to buy vanilla ice cream and soda for floats!(vanilla ice cream is pretty hard to find here as well so that was a miracle!)</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">So on Tuesday it was my birthday and it was awesome. In the morning Elder Mclaughlin surpised me and made pancakes he got from home, Chocalate chip and Funfetti pancakes! Elder Valdez got me reeses pieces and It was awesome. Then for district meeting we brought the floats and it was great. Then for lunch we went to mcdonalds and then went to work. We had really great day teaching. We are teaching this mother of a recent convert here in santiago and she always until this week has never seem very intrested but on Tuesday we somehow connected with her and she opened up to us about what problems she had in her life and what she wants in her life to happen. She cried. On tuesday as well we found the house of a tryce driver that we talked to and we shared with him he is very cool as well.So this last week we also met a really interested single mother. We met her at that same house of the recent convert and she was very receptive. So she had some questions about the plan of salvation and we shared it with and challenged her to ask God if it was true. When we went back she had recieved and answer and we shared about the restoration and she got an answer as well that it is true ans she said she felt like she really needs to got to church. Which she did yesterday! On like tuesday we gave her a word of wisdom pamphlet and when we came back and asked her about she said it was good and that she already stopped drinking coffee and iced tea and doesn't use the other things pertaining to the word of wisdom! She has some great faith. We really feel she will be baptized! So after a really great night working we got back and BBQed the hot dogs had rootbeer floats and cake! It was great birthday.&nbsp;</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">On wednesday was great as well. We looked up a few former investigators and they are some great families that we are now teaching. We also met another family that we ran into while looking for the former investigators. The young man there in his 20's is really intrested and we have been back a few time and he has read everything we have left him. We just taught about the restoration and left a Book of Mormon and will be going back this week. Also a few weeks ago we met this lady while we were looking for a recent convert. She is really old and maybe a little teeny bit crazy but she is so cool. Her name is Ester. Everything we have left her so far she has read and then explained to us perfectly when we went back. She seems really cool and has great potential as well.\</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">On thursday president invited our whole district to lunch so in the morning we had an appoitment. When we got there the people we were hoping to teach were not there, so we figured there must be some reason we came to that area. We went to a home we talked to in the past and there were only young mothers there so we left them something else to read and tryed talking to some other houses. We were on our way out and felt impressed to try one more house before going to lunch. And another miracle happened! We got invited in and it was young couple and their child. The mom had gone to church with niebors a ton when she was a little kid and had friends that were members. The couple was very receptive and we shared and left a Book of Mormon and we were invited to come back! After that we went to MangInasal(by the way its this place that has BBQ chicken and all you can eat rice for 99 pesos) And president bought our district lunch. After that I went on splits with the companion of our district leader, Elder Allen(from mapleton) in ramon and the AP's also gave us mail. As we were headed back to ramon I read the mail and I got a birthday card from Sister Betty Delacuesta in Aritao. She is a widow that we baptized last May 2011. She is one my favorite people we taught. She is the one who read the Book of Mormon 3 times before she was baptized and in the Birthday Card she said that on August 22nd she was endowed!!! How awesome is that!!! As awesome as my birthday was that Birthday card and the news that she was endowed was the greatest birthday present of all. I was so stoked to hear that!! I can't describe how happy it was to hear that!!!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">So it was cool to go back to ramon. We visited some of the people we taught and we went back to an investigator that we taught that hadn't continued. As we went back to them we found they didn't live there anymore but we met there dad and he invited in and we gave him Book of Mormon and he was very receptive and they got a return appointment to teach him and his wife. We also had a dinner appoitment in ramon(ramon has dinner appt. every night) and It was cool to see that family again. They are the Gajes family. When I was there they brother got home right before I was tranferred and now he has been home for almost a year. Time is so fast. So after that we left and it was raining and pouring. I wanted to try and visit Mac-mac( he was about 16 when we baptized him) and it was pouring. So I was like, well we are gonna get soaked. You down? And Elder Allen said he was down. It was like a 20 min walk each way and we got absolutely drenched. When we got there we found out he went back to manilla but it was alright because no effort is wasted! On the way back we took a different way and it was starting to flood the streets and we just got drenched head to toe. Also the next 3 days in a row we got drenched by rain. It was great! (our umbrellas are broken and some days it doesnt matter even if you do have one you'll get drenched anyways)&nbsp;</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Also a funny story when we got back from splits in ramon the house was just like empty and It was like there was noone home which was weird because Elder's Valdez and Williamson should have been studying at that time so we were surprised. Well I went outside and was washing my feet because I had just worn shoes that were still wet from the night before. Anyway I saw them go and hide in the house so I figured something was up. Well I thought about what I could do and I decided to get I nice glass of cold water and I turned the corner and they tackled me but before they were able tackle me I soaked Elder williamson with the glass of cold water. So I trumped them hehe. I still did get tag team tackled into the mattresses but I went down fighting. It was great. (by they we just do silly stuff like tackling and wrestling and stuff at the apartment)</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">So the Paz couple we are teaching hasnt been able to get work off on sundays and we fasted as a companionship for a way to help them follow the sabbath day. It was a tough week as everytime we went to their house they have been gone. So on sunday they came to church and we were super excited and surprised. So after sacrament we asked how the sister got off work and they said sister got fired from her job and they came to church. They didnt seem to upset about and it was really cool they came. I guess right before church they didnt have any money to get to church but then someone came to their mom and said they she wanted her to make food for them in a few weeks but that she just wanted to give her the money for it right now. So they were able to go to church!&nbsp; We also had a great lesson last night about the sabbath day and how the Lord will prepare a way for them to follow the sabbath and find a job as long as they are courageous and dont accept a job unless they can get the sabbath day off! They really understood it and they also understood why we dont by on sunday as we explained that they can help others to keep the sabbath day by choosing not to use their stores or businesses! They are such a great family and I feel that God will bless them with a better job.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Also on like friday we talked to this guy on a bus and he said we could share to him and his family. So on Sunday we got to the area of his house and for like 30 mins we are looking for this guys house and asking people if they know this guy and it was pouring rain. Finally after like half an hour of asking and getting soaked we find the house and him and his family had been waiting for us. He said he almost thought we werent going to come so I am glad we stuck to it and we found it! He was very interested as well and we taught them about the Book of Mormon</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Well gotta run but I know the church is so true! I know these are the best greatest two years ever and this was one of the greatest weeks of my life. I feel we are being guided by the Lord and shown people that are really ready to recieve the gospel! I love you tons!!!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Love,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">A.J.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">P.s. I attached a picture of the pizza me and Elder Mclaughlin got. This is " The worst pizza he ever had in his entire life" It may have been an overstatement but it would be a stretch to call it a 1 star pizza joint hhaha</span>Elder Bryce Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446045546161741434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7159796986598709642.post-17506637489075605432012-08-29T17:52:00.002-07:002012-08-29T18:10:44.343-07:00Week 96: Hard times and happy times...the mission is amazing!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--cnrbTuCWwE/UD686VXTxhI/AAAAAAAABBY/gN1ZdXeOnAk/s1600/P1050222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--cnrbTuCWwE/UD686VXTxhI/AAAAAAAABBY/gN1ZdXeOnAk/s320/P1050222.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandma sent birthday money and AJ bought PB&amp;J!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Dear Family,</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Glad to hear you got into the house although it sounds like it was a lot more complicated than it should have been... Now Dallas' and Bryce also can terrorize the highways at the same time with having another vehicle? Man lots of stuff changes... I still never met Jonny's wife or kid or Marcus' kid either...</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k_ikWH5r12Y/UD688hdrpSI/AAAAAAAABBg/lCOXcGYSHps/s1600/P1050224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k_ikWH5r12Y/UD688hdrpSI/AAAAAAAABBg/lCOXcGYSHps/s200/P1050224.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A really big burger!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">So we had a great week and there were times that were hard and times that were really happy and fun and we are happy to say we gave it all we could this week and it doesn't even matter what happens or what the result was because we gave it our all and it feels great to have done so and continue to do so. We continue to see miracles. So this week we taught fasting to a couple we are teaching that has a baptismal date in September. So one of their problems is that the wife works on sunday and the past couple weeks she was able to get off for sacrament but had to go right back to church. So we taught them that they can fast in order to get closer to God and ask for special blessings in their lives so they were excited to do a fast and we all decided to do a fast on friday in order to help them get a job or soften the heart of her boss so that she could keep the sabbath day holy. So on friday we fasted and we got to their house and apparently the couple got in a fight and the wife went to manilla. We had a really really discouraging day and in our last appointment the husbands parents said that stuff up we found that happened and we were so sad for them. We continued our fasting though and on Sunday they both came together to church. When we taught them sunday night everything seemed normal and we read 3 nephi 14 together with their family. I dont know what really went down but we were way surprised when they came to church so it was good. We just need to work with them still to get them the next little way to be ready for baptism.&nbsp;</span><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i0FRMPiakmc/UD68-qjJpuI/AAAAAAAABBo/ElQppWvLyuE/s1600/P1050225.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i0FRMPiakmc/UD68-qjJpuI/AAAAAAAABBo/ElQppWvLyuE/s200/P1050225.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yum!</td></tr></tbody></table><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">So this one day we just looking for former investigators and generally looking for people to teach and we met this white philippino. When we first saw him we thought he was american and We didnt know whether to speak tagalog to him or english. So what happened we found a member we were looking for and then she took us to him and when he first saw us hey said "hey, Do you speak the english?" And then we are all confused cuz he thought he was some american dude but his English was all wrong. Anyway it turns out he is totally philippino he just somehow was born white.... He is like an engineer dude and we taught his once so far and he is intrested and really smart. He totally gets what we share to him.</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">So we had a good week. We had a couple days that were hard and nothing we tried seemed to work but the greatest part of it is that if you do your best you dont need to worry about what happens even if we have no success if we did our best the Lord accepts the sacrifice. There is a really a great feeling at the end of the day to be exhausted and totally satisfied that you did your best for the best cause of all mankind!</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">And we also had tons of great things happen as well this week and Every week I've seen miracles. The mission is so amazing to see the lives of being changed and at the same time be changed and never be the same as a result of it. I Love you tons!!!</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Have a great week!!!</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z3Y_dyUFsok/UD69AatwMQI/AAAAAAAABBw/nwxYsX2DWUE/s1600/P1050227.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z3Y_dyUFsok/UD69AatwMQI/AAAAAAAABBw/nwxYsX2DWUE/s320/P1050227.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh yeah!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Love,</span>Elder Bryce Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446045546161741434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7159796986598709642.post-65141570281015154292012-08-29T17:51:00.001-07:002012-08-29T18:16:15.224-07:00Week 95: Following Promptings Blesses Lives of Others<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TPNqrjomQJg/UD6-QSqFD0I/AAAAAAAABB4/lsWIpNGgdmY/s1600/P1050215+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TPNqrjomQJg/UD6-QSqFD0I/AAAAAAAABB4/lsWIpNGgdmY/s400/P1050215+(1).JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: start;">We had a family home evening at the gabaldon family last monday.</span></td></tr></tbody></table>Dear Family,<br /><br />Wow this was one of the quickest and coolest weeks of my mission. We have seen the Lord's hand in our work this week and we felt that we have truly been on the Lord's errand. We have seen some great things with our investigators and we have met some great new investigators. Elder Mclaughlin is awesome and we have been working hard. <br /><br />So one of the most like definite promptings we received this week happened on friday night. We had just finished our last appointment and it was a little after 8. The whole night I had this family in my mind that was a family a little bit less active that I just felt like we really really needed to visit. So we decided to go visit them on the way home. We got there and the mother was the only one home. We talked to her for a minute and everything seemed pretty normal and her husband wasn't home so we left after a minute. So I little confused as to why I felt that we needed to visit her and we started to go home and we remembered another family that was right close to there that was less active. We went by and we invited in. We talked to the brother and soon found out that his wife had been sick for over a week and was not feeling well at all and we were able to give her a priesthood blessing and Elder Mclaughlin was voice for the blessing and did a great job. It just reminded me of what Pres. Monson said about receiving a prompting and the great feeling of following it and seeing&nbsp; it bless the lives of others. <br /><br />Another amazing experience we had was a family we found. This last week we have been looking for stuff to do productively instead of just tracting so we have been looking for recent converts that we dont know and less actives as well as former investigators that have potential so we were looking for some former investigators on friday afternoon and we asked people where a certain name was and ended up going down an alley. We met a group of people and asked them about the person and they told us where their house was and then asked if we had any more names and asked if their name was in there. It wasnt but they said they have been taught before and then We asked them if they want to listen to the missionaries again and they expressed that they did. Then one of the ladies there lead us to her house that was in a little ways and Wow there whole family was just there waiting for us!! The dad was really cool as well and said he doesnt have any vices either like beer or smoking or gambling or things like unto it.... Anyway we are excited for that family we shared about the Book of Mormon and gave them a Book of Mormon and the spirit was very strong in that lesson.<br /><br />By the way our Elder Quorum President is this guy from Pennsylvania that lives like a few block from us. He served a mission in Chile back in the day and married a philipina lady here. Anyways he worked with us this week and took us to this place that has ridiculously huge hamburgers.(next time I get a burger there again I'll take a picture) and he is pretty cool. He actually knows quite a bit of tagalog. Speaking of white people we have an investigator that also lives just a few blocks a way from us(strangly enough both our elder quorum president and this Canadian guy live in apartments about as nice or a little bit nice than our missionary apartments, I was surprised because I would of though they would have really nice houses and all. ) anyway Elder Valdez and Williamson talked to this guy in the market, he is a 71 year old Canadian dude(his wife is also a philipina) he has jewish blood in him and is a jew but he believes in the bible and new testament including about Jesus Christ being a God and our Savior and everything(I thought jews dont believe that Jesus has come yet??) anyway he said he wants to listen and so his house is in our area and we went to to him and he invited us in and he asked if we were jews, I said no and he said "yeah you are! isnt that lehi guy from Jerusalem??" So yeah he said back in the day he read a bit of the Book of Mormon and is interested in it.. Anyway so we taught him about the apostacy and he said that it totally true and we taught him the Joesph Smith story and he said it was also true and that he had seen Jesus as well!! So his story went something like this. When he was in his 20's he wanted to know if the bible was true and he wanted to get forgiven of his sins. So he kept praying but he said he didnt pray sincerely and it was repetitive prayers. He said one day he came home from swim team practice and was really tired and alone. He said he opened the door and that Jesus was standing there in his room. Then he said that Jesus said to him if you don't mean it dont pray at all. And he said he felt really super scared and bad and he got on his knees and begged forgiveness and when he opened his eyes that Jesus was gone. So anyway that was his story. After we shared our testimonies about how Joesph Smith restored the gospel and how we came to know it was true. We challenged him to read the Book of Mormon and to pray and ask if it was a true book. It was a very interesting experience. Anyway we go back to him on Friday so I hope and pray has been reading the Book of Mormon. <br /><br />So we are teaching a really cool family. The Paz Family is a part member family, they were baptized by Elder Reiner and those guys back in the day(I was probably in ramon about that time so we were in the same district) anyway the Parents and some of their kids are already baptized and we are teaching one of their kids named Perry and his wife Emily. They got married a few months ago and should have been baptized like a few weeks ago but Sister Emily got a job on Sunday so their baptism is kind of on hold for now. They are really cool though and yesterday they were able to come to church but than had to go to work after so its an improvement but thier not quite there yet. They are really awesome. I am really impressed with Perry he totally gets the gospel and lives it. Last night his wife came in and she had C2 bottle(its like this iced tea little kid juice stuff that members apparently dont know is against the WOW because they give it to their kids all the time) And he was like "HEY THATS C2 Why do you have C2 thats not allowed!!!" And she said oh it just has water in it.(I dont how she had the bottle in the first place but whatever ) I was impressed with him though it was great. He is a really good guy. If they can step up and take care of the little problem with working on sunday they will be great members.<br /><br />So I know this work is so true and One thing I've learned that as we do the right thing and are in the right place at the time(like being on task and doing your best to be diligent) the Lord uses us to bless the lives of those around us and its so amazing to be a part of it. I know more than ever that the church is true and that gospel will always bring happiness and eternal life. I love you tons and I am so thankful for all you do and all you are. Hope you have a great week and good luck with all the deadlines and moving in and stuff!!!<br /><br />Love,<br /><br />A.J.Elder Bryce Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446045546161741434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7159796986598709642.post-41916356203014716232012-08-14T09:21:00.002-07:002012-08-14T09:21:52.796-07:00Week 94: AJ says goodbye to his beloved Roxas<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ik_5c57_6gY/UCp6QT6B4pI/AAAAAAAABAw/bKih6KcRlbc/s1600/P1050216.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ik_5c57_6gY/UCp6QT6B4pI/AAAAAAAABAw/bKih6KcRlbc/s640/P1050216.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pizza at Greenwich with the Shaners</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light',HelveticaNeue-Light,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Tahoma,Verdana,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Dear Family,<br style="line-height: 17px;" /><br style="line-height: 17px;" />So first of all, I've been transferred to what will probably be my last area. I have been assigned here in Santiago 3rd ward and we live here in the city itself. My companion is Elder Mclaughlin from Alpine, Utah. He has been in the mission for 3 months and his trainer just got transferred. We also share an apartment with the ZL's here in Santiago. The ZL's here are Elder Valdez (my companion in Alicia, the one you talked to on Skype last Christmas, btw I am stoked about that he is my homie) and Elder Williamson. It's pretty cool. We are like a 15 min walk or 2 min tryke ride away from Macdonalds. Our area is cool. Our whole area is kind of the outskirts of Santiago and most of our investigators and stuff are kinda far away. We have a couple really cool investigators and things are looking good.&nbsp;<br style="line-height: 17px;" /><br style="line-height: 17px;" />So next I wanted to talk about Roxas a little bit. We saw so many miracles and I truly feel like Ammon in that I never imagined what great things could happen and what the Lord had in store for my companions and I in Roxas. I've truly made friendships there that will be eternal there. I still am amazed about how many wonderful miracles I saw there. I've seen lives changed and my life has been changed during the last 7 and a half months in Roxas.</span><br /><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Tahoma,Verdana,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Tahoma,Verdana,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">A really sweet moment happened as we were teaching the Torres family on Tuesday. So we found them tracting and their whole family has a baptismal date on September 22 in Roxas. The mother said that some people had told her she was just joining the church because it is a rich church or that they might get help from the church but she said that she bore her testimony that the church was really true and that she knew it and that she was joining the church because she knew it was the way to follow Jesus Christ. It was a great testimony that warmed our hearts.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Tahoma,Verdana,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Tahoma,Verdana,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">So I do know that it is true, the Lord directs this work. I've learned things from every companion and every area I've had and I've met people that I needed to meet in every area. I know that the callings president makes are inspired of God. I also said goodbyes on Tuesday and Wednesday to some of those amazing people like the Antiolyn family (the ones that got married), the Tan Family (Fema and her family) The Torres, President Munoz (branch president, class act), Sister Helen and Brother Mark Dieter.<br style="line-height: 17px;" /><br style="line-height: 17px;" />On Wednesday there was a farewell fireside and afterward the Shaners took us for pizza at Greenwich. It was very good and the first time I've had pizza in like 10 months. I will miss the Shaners. I at least get to see them at meetings and stuff, but the Shaners are awesome.&nbsp;<br style="line-height: 17px;" /><br style="line-height: 17px;" />So it's been a good few days with Elder Mclaughlin. He is a good Elder and we have some great people to teach. We have been working hard and we have already had some great success. We had a cool experience as we felt prompted to stop at a house we passed and we were let in the door. Two young men (brothers) in their 20's invited us in and gave us chairs. As we talked to them, what Elder Holland said about listening is really true. As we got them to open up, we found out that their sister had died when she was 18 and we asked them if they knew where she was. We felt inspired to share with them in Alma 40 and about the resurrection and the glorious news of celestial kingdom and eternal families. I also realized this week that we really aren't perfect in the language and teaching and also that that is really important. The Lord just wants our hearts. So as we shared our heartfelt testimonies with those two young men, we felt they were really comforted and for the first time in their lives they knew where their sister is. The gospel is so true and I feel so humbled to share this with the people. It's one of the sweetest feelings ever when you can see someone understand a part of the gospel for the very first time.<br style="line-height: 17px;" /><br style="line-height: 17px;" />Well I&nbsp; can't think of much else to say right now but I Iove you tons and good luck moving in the new house. Hope you have a good week!<br style="line-height: 17px;" /><br style="line-height: 17px;" />Love,</span></span></span><br style="line-height: 17px;" /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light',HelveticaNeue-Light,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Tahoma,Verdana,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">A.J.</span></span></span><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rWOLYJT4HZI/UCp698lfpoI/AAAAAAAABBA/y4zltZYH7jI/s1600/P1050220.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rWOLYJT4HZI/UCp698lfpoI/AAAAAAAABBA/y4zltZYH7jI/s320/P1050220.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light',HelveticaNeue-Light,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Elder Griffin and his new companion, Elder Mclaughlin</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table>Elder Bryce Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446045546161741434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7159796986598709642.post-89648631237050854712012-08-06T13:27:00.000-07:002012-08-06T13:27:08.819-07:00Week 93: Meeting the 'Golden' family<h4></h4><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><h4><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hOgfqFgczs8/UCAjN0UxZII/AAAAAAAAA_0/9OBXbLd25nk/s1600/DSCN5867.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" kda="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hOgfqFgczs8/UCAjN0UxZII/AAAAAAAAA_0/9OBXbLd25nk/s640/DSCN5867.JPG" width="640" /></a></h4></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elder Griffin and his companion "crashed" a Relief Society luncheon.</td></tr></tbody></table><h4>Dear Family,<br /><br />Wow, we have seen miracles this week. We met a husband and wife last night that are among the elect Wow! It was a really hard, but such a rewarding week. Last night was one of the greatest days of my mission. Here is what happened: <br /><br />Friday we were visiting a less active family and they had a friend over, a nice lady in her mid 30's named Nanita. Elder Delector OYM'ed her and we taught the family with her there as well, about eternal families and the temple. She was very receptive and invited us over to teach her and her husband on Sunday. So last night our last appointment of the day we went to their house and the less active couple came with us. They are so amazing. We asked them if they had met missionaries and what they expected from us. Sister Anita said that she had never met missionaries but had always seen them walking by cheerfully in hot weather and rainy weather and she said that we are matapat (faithful, true) to who we are and that that is what interests her. Her husband said that his cousins are members and that they are super nice and he wants to know about it. They also said that they feel like they have been prompted to listen to us and that why else would God send us to their house. Last night we felt like we met a couple that fits the D&amp;C 123 "… and who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it."<br /><br />We felt inspired to share about the Book of Mormon and I've never seen the Book of Mormon received so sincerely and excitedly. We read together Moroni 10:3-5 and they so sincerely want to know the truth. They have been in Roxas for not quite a year and already have a ton of friends that are good members and they invited us back next Sunday (she already told us that Sunday is for the Lord and that they don't work and that Sunday is family day – Cool!!!). They also shared how they felt at the end and what they described was that they felt the spirit! That is the most amazing first visit to an investigator of my entire mission. When we left the house we felt so excited and humbled that the Lord led us to the elect! <br /><br />It was worth all the sacrifices and all the trials and everything hard just to feel the spirit that was in that humble home and seeing those that are honestly and truly looking for the truth feel the spirit. It was amazing.<br /><br />This week we also had a baptism! We have been teaching Sister Helen Lopez for about 6 months. It was kind of long as we felt she needed some mo<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dJ0-4PUfbVo/UCAntEBfweI/AAAAAAAABAM/VkOEa-ic3Co/s1600/DSCN5890.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" kda="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dJ0-4PUfbVo/UCAntEBfweI/AAAAAAAABAM/VkOEa-ic3Co/s400/DSCN5890.JPG" width="400" /></a>re time to prepare but these past few weeks we felt she was ready. She had a stroke a few years ago, so we were a little worried about how the baptism was going to go down. She needed at least room temperature water so we had to get a water heater (in the Philippines there is no heated water unless you're really rich). The branch was really helpful and bought some electric water heaters. We had a few problems though. First we hooked them up to an extension cord and learned some stuff about electricity. Apparently the power needed was more than the extension cord could handle. After a few minutes we smelled something funny and the extension cord was melting. After trying to figure out what to do, we were able to talk to our district president who is an electrician and he was able to hook us up and he did some quick electric work and added to the cord. Anyway, by that time it's about 1:30 and the baptism was at 3. At about 3, the water was warming up but Sister wasn't quite comfortable with the water temp. President Carlos also came and he interviewed one of our investigators who has a special case, but passed to be baptized next week as well. After waiting 15 mins or so. we got another bucket of water and nanay felt it and said it was good enough. <br /><br />So after the program, we got to the baptism. I was elected to do the baptism so she wouldn't have trouble, being half crippled and all. I went first and it wasn't too terribly warm, so I was kind of worried if she was going to be ok. Anyway she got in and later she told us that at first it was kind of cold but then she didn't notice it anymore and the baptism was a success. She kind of had trouble finding her footing after she was baptized, but I was able to just hold her up until she got her feet stable. It's a good thing I am big, hehe. It was a great baptism.<br /><br />This week we also went to Tabuk (about 1 and half hours away) and worked with the Elders there. It was pretty cool and we had some good experiences as well. We met a guy who was headed in the same direction as us that said he used to be an investigator and that he wanted to hear more. It was pretty cool. I can totally see how God can guide us as the missionaries to where we need to be or he can guide those that need to meet us to the missionaries. Also while in Tabuk all the appointments they had set up fell through and so we just started talking to people and one of the very first houses we went to dropped everything they were doing (laundry, house work) and invited us in. They are apparently from some tribe in Tabuk and aren't very good at Tagalog, so they didn't really understand what we taught them, but they did feel the spirit. The Philippines is truly the modern day Tower of Babel. There are so many different languages here. It still blows my mind all time. <br /><br />By the way, this week is transfer day and I am not sure what's going to happen but I've been in Roxas for 7 and 1/2 months and might be transferred. I would also love to stay here in Roxas. We have amazing investigators. Whatever happens I'm down. :)<br /><br />We are also teaching an old lady in her 70's who is a widow named Trinidad. She is very nice and is truly looking for the truth. It was really cool to see her faith. We taught her about the Word of Wisdom and the blessings and then we asked if she used any of those things we talked about. And she said "Not anymore!!" We didn't even have to challenge her and she already said she is done with coffee and tea (she didn't use the other ones).<br /><br />So, there is this area in Roxas about a ten peso ride away from the city and then about a 30 min walk down a farm road. There are some members there (including a really cool convert that left on his mission about 2 months ago). When we go visit them, we have talked to all the other houses (there are only about 20 or 25 other houses) and one of them is the Torres family (see the pictures). Anyway at first only the dad was there and we came back a few times – finally we went there a few times and the whole family was there and the mom is really really receptive. The mom and the kids have come to church 6 times or so and they really love it. The dad is a really nice guy and is super shy and shy to come to church still, but he is cool as well. The only hard thing is the dad doesn't know how to read, but the mother reads to them. They have a goal date in September, so we are praying that the dad can come to church as well. They are an amazing family and their kids are dang cute.<br /><br />Man, I have a million more things to share with you, but I am running out of time. I am so grateful to be on a mission and it is the experience of a lifetime. I've never been tested and tried and stretched so ,far but I've never been so happy and blessed and seen so many miracles. I've never loved so much and felt the Savior's love so much. I know the mission is the greatest experience a young man could have and I am so glad I was able to be called on a mission.</h4><h4 style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />&nbsp;</h4><h4 style="margin-bottom: 0in;">For my little brothers, I just want to say this is greatest 2 years and that it's more important than anything else! So live everyday starting now to be worthy and prepared to serve your own missions. I know that you will see miracles in the service of the Lord on your missions and I know that there are eternal friends waiting to hear your testimonies.<br /><br />Love you tons!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<br />A.J. </h4>Elder Bryce Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446045546161741434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7159796986598709642.post-12138297536509588332012-08-02T10:32:00.003-07:002012-08-02T10:32:41.718-07:00Week 92: Rainy days and Monson quotes<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zwx39P_KOXw/UBq3635kb5I/AAAAAAAAA_c/wujh-2VrFyY/s1600/Roxas+Zone.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" eda="true" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zwx39P_KOXw/UBq3635kb5I/AAAAAAAAA_c/wujh-2VrFyY/s640/Roxas+Zone.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roxas Zone with the Carloses (seated, left) and the Tehs (seated, center). The Shaners are seated on the right.</td></tr></tbody></table><h4>Dear Family,<br /><br />Well this week we had interviews with President, it was kind of a weird interview as it was kind of, "Well, your almost done any last requests. I didnt request anything though....I'm down with whatever the Lord has in mind. Yeah that was basically the jist of the interview. We had a good week of work though we are little sad that people we were hoping on didnt make it to church this week. </h4><h4>One of our successes though is that Sister Helen Lopez, passed her interview this week and will be baptized on the 4th of august. So we have been teaching Sister Helen for 6 months now and she is a great lady. She is in her mid 60's and a few years ago had a stroke that paralyzed half the left side of her body. Every time we teach her, her husband is there but isn't interested yet and doesn't seem to enjoy us being there. When we try to involve him in the lesson he just says that it's alright for his wife but he isn't ready yet. At least he listens and someday the spirit will soften his heart.&nbsp; Sister Lopez is really excited about being baptized and it should be interesting because she can't go in cold water so we will have to boil a bunch of water or the branch is trying to get some appliance from ilagan that you put in water and it is supposed to make it work. She is kind of a big lady So I have been elected to baptize her to make sure everything goes down without any problems (of course because I am a giant here).<br />.<br />So it's been a rainy week here. The other day coming from our furthest area and getting scorched on the way there with it being so hot, after visiting a recent convert family we had like a 30 min walk back to the highway and about 20 mins of it it rained cats and dogs. I didn't have an umbrella, but my companion did, but he got just as wet as I did. We were soaked. Somedays on the mission I just laugh and I did that day. We were just soaked head to toe in shirt and tie. I don't know why either but I was totally fine with it. I was just like oh well. I am sure in 20 years I'll have really great memories of days like that. The Philippine weather is just so unpredictable. It's funny.<br /><br />We are teaching a cool family we found in the area book. A few weeks ago we were trying to figure out what to do in those afternoon hours and we found a family that had been taught by the sisters back in the day as well as by E. Daq and I think bayles (both friends of mine in the mission from back in the day) Anyway that day we contacted them and have taught them a few times. The parents aren't married yet but want to get married and we talked about eternal families last night and what they need to do to become an eternal family. Anyway it was a really great lesson and their kids are so cute and they are good people. Anyway I think it's the coolest contact I've made from the former investigators. <br /><br />I have two random President Monson quotes that are not connected in anyway...but that are equally awesome<br /><br />"If you ever find yourself in a place you shouldn't be, get out!"<br />"You cant be doing right by doing wrong, you cant be doing wrong by doing right"<br /><br />Also Sister Fema's Mom, who we have been teaching for about 6 months and has been going to church all the time with us finally this week stopped going to the iglesia ni cristo and really l seems to have a sincere desire to be baptized. She has goal date on aug 25.<br /><br />Well I love you so much and I am so thankful to be part of an eternal family. I never realized... REALLY how blessed we are to have this gospel and especially to have great parents that love the Lord. It is so awesome that we can be a family forever. Love you tons!!!<br /><br />Love<br /><br />A.J. </h4>Elder Bryce Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446045546161741434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7159796986598709642.post-20130305198041438092012-07-26T15:19:00.000-07:002012-07-26T15:19:09.529-07:00Week 91: Teachings from the leaders<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4p_i8j-Q4Lc/UBHCMMO1SjI/AAAAAAAAA_I/97xEEsUSWrc/s1600/DSCN5686.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" sda="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4p_i8j-Q4Lc/UBHCMMO1SjI/AAAAAAAAA_I/97xEEsUSWrc/s640/DSCN5686.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zone Conference trust issues.</td></tr></tbody></table><h4>Dear Family,<br /><br />So we had a great week and learned a ton from Elder Teh as he visited this last wednesday. <br /><br />So first off I want to share some of the things Elder Teh taught us. One thing he talked about was the story of Joshua in Josh chapter 3 about how he probably felt very inadequete and very humbled to be the replacement of Moses in leading the israelites but the Lord promised to magnify him and let the people know that the same God that magnified moses would magnify him. So their first you could say problem arose and they had to cross a big river and the Lord promised to stop the river but he told josh. that those carrying the ark of the covanent would have to first get their feet wet(no its not just a cliche) but that once they showed their faith the Lord would help them get accross. So the walked into the river and the Lord magnifyied the words of Joshua and stopped the river. So as the missionaries or priesthood holders or members of the church, the first thing we need to know is that we are NOT sufficient for the job but it is not impossible. The Lord will magnify those that are humble and obiedient and seek his help.<br /><br />The next thing I wanted to share was our discussion on John chapter 10. What I thought was really cool was that Elder Teh and President Carlos applied it not just to missionaries or mission life but to becoming a good father and priesthood holder for life. It talks about the sheep following the good Shepard but if we are not living what we teach we become as strangers to the sheep and they listen no more. It also talks about the hireling who cares not for the sheep and is watching them just for payment, and when trouble(wolves) come around they flee and care not for the sheep. Anyway read john 10 its bomb.<br /><br />President shared again with us the great story of Alma and him being totally rejected spit upon and despised and then being commaned by the angel to go back and then finding Amulek. So he talked about always remeber to look for the amuleks and to keep going always go for one more try and stuff. <br /><br />One of the coolest things Elder Teh shared was about the PNC(Puede na Current)(the Good enough Current) So he talked about how in Finding Nemo, nemo's dad and dore run into the turtles that are waiting to ride the East Australian current(EAC) so they can get to sidney, Well eventually they all get on it and some of the turtles are just chillin hangin back and stuff and its real easy. Once your in the current you just go with flow. Eventually they get to sidney and find nemo. So anyway he said in the Mission there is a current called the good enough current. If you are really disobiedient then the president and the district and zone leaders will be after you and if your 100 % obiedient then it really hard to keep up that pursuit of excellence. He said the really dangerous spot it in the middle because you can pretty much just chill and be halfway somewhat diligent and still get baptisms. He said though that you get exactly what you put into your mission nothing more and nothing less. So I was just thinking for life there is also a PNC where we can not be to terrible obiedient to the commandments of God and it will appear that we are doing just fine. Any way we need to stay out of there and get on top. The cool part about the PNC, elder teh said whenever you want to you can get out of the PNC and strive for excellence at the top.&nbsp; <br /><br />Also check out Alma 49, Elder Teh talked about in his fireside in roxas how in this story we can see that adversary learns and changes up his attack plan so we need to have better defenses than those in the past. He talked about how in his family they never had scrip. study and he turned out ok but that for our families we need to have better defenses if we are going to be ok because the adversary makes more effective attack plans on the family. <br /><br />Also Check out D&amp;C 31 as well and read about all the cool blessing missionaries get especially blessing that their family will receive.<br /><br />Finally president talked about how we need to serve with all our heart might mind and strength and then it is the lords prerogative if he chooses to bless us with success. <br /><br />I also feel very grateful this week. I have been kind of reflecting on my mission this week and all the miracles that I've seen. I was also thinking about what president said and I feel very humbled and grateful at all the success he has given us. All the amazing unthinkable unpredictable things that have happened especially my change of heart personally and seeing literally and very quickly the change of heart in investigators. Its amazing. <br /><br />So update on the Gabaldon family. They are doing great and their dad and alision(14) got the priesthood yesterday. They really enjoyed the Fireside with elder Teh on wednesday and in priesthood yesterday they talked about calling and they are really excited to get a calling wanted to know how or when new members get callings. We were talking with President Munoz about it and he is thinking and praying about what calling would be great for them. <br /><br />This last saturday we had a great experience. So I am pretty sure I told you about the Havana family. The house that had crazy cow by it and then as we walked by the mom called us and asked if we had anything we could give to here about the church. Anyway over the past few months the husband hasnt been there much but the sister is very interested and has come to church a few times over the past few months. So especially in the last 2 weeks every time we come by brother hasnt been home. Well last sunday they just totally shocked us and showed up as family to church and stayed the whole block and loved it. In Priesthood brother shared with the quarem that ever since we have been visiting that his relationship with his wife has improved and they never fight anymore and that it has been great. Well this this week we were able to visit them twice and on Saturday we gave them a baptismal date on the 25th of august and they are super excited. They came to church again yesterday as family and stayed the whole time and really enjoyed it. Brother June is a waiter for catering company and Sister stays at home and takes care of their 7 year old boy.(he is very energetic and loud so lessons are hard sometimes though)<br /><br />The sister I told you about named Karen hasnt left yet and probably wont leave now to laguna so we gave her a baptismal date on September 15 and she is super golden. <br /><br />So we have been teaching this sister Helen Lopez that is in her 60s now for about 6 months. It has gone kind of long because her husband isnt really happy about it and we wanted to focus on her reading. Anyway she always comes to church but would always go home after sacrament meeting. So it was cool this last week we shared D&amp;C 88:77-78 and talked about why they have those classes and then on sunday she was totally cool with going there. We had been trying to get her to go to sunday school and relief society for like 6 months and just sharing the WHY had a way bigger effect on her then anything else it was cool. She will be getting interviewed for baptism this saturday and things are looking good and she is looking ready and her husband said she could get baptised. Her husband always sits in with the lessons but doesn't participate. Hopefully he is listening somewhere insided. Sister helen really loves here husband and want him to join her at church and eventually in the temple. It should also be an intrestying baptism because she had a stroke back in the day and is kind of weak. She also cant go in cold water or its supposed to be all painful so we are going to have to boil a bunch of water when she is baptized. <br /><br />Well I got a million more things I want to tell you about but there is not time. I guess at the end I just want to say I know this work is true and that the Lord directs it. I know that he loves us and knows us and knows what we are going though and is happy with every single sacrifice we make for our family or for the church or for the kingdom. I love you tons!<br /><br /><br /><br />Love you!!!!<br /><br />A.J. </h4>Elder Bryce Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446045546161741434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7159796986598709642.post-73494974634572619182012-07-19T01:35:00.000-07:002012-07-19T01:35:05.328-07:00Week 90: Baptism and persistence<h4></h4><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tDwiWffIhSI/UAfE7c3xLyI/AAAAAAAAA-w/01zBG9kVbq0/s1600/P1050106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tDwiWffIhSI/UAfE7c3xLyI/AAAAAAAAA-w/01zBG9kVbq0/s640/P1050106.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elders with the Gabaldon family</td></tr></tbody></table><h4>&nbsp;Wow whatta week!<br /><br />So we had a great week and on this coming Wednesday we will have a training with Elder Teh of the Seventy/area presidency, then that evening he will being doing a fireside in the Rojas chapel so we are trying to get all our investigators excited about because it should be awesome. Elder Teh is also planning on doing lots of interviews and also visiting a bunch of missionary apartments so the mission is on red alert to clean up and play straight this week haha.</h4><h4>And just earlier when we opened our email we got a big surprise that in august that Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Bishop Dean M. Davies of the Presiding Bishopric and Elder Brent H. Nielson of the Seventy and Area Presidency will be visiting and doing special training with us in august. President said and hey you thought you were an isolated mission. I was pretty surprised about that so that's awesome. <br /><br />So about the Gabaldon family, I haven't really been talking about them lately because I was super sad as they had only come to church a few times since they were baptized and have been super busy so we could never teach them anymore but this week we had a huge success with them and it has answered months of fasting and prayer. So this is what happened. <br /><br />After their baptism they just got way super busy with work and they another house in mallig so we had the mallig elders go and teach them a few times but mostly they were just way busy. In the period of the last couple months they've only been to church a few times. So we kept trying to set times to teach them and they were busy and wouldn't really give us a time and some of the other times we set and they just forget or weren't there and just overall being kind of flaky. So I was really way bummed about them and was like thinking if we should've postponed their baptism back in the day or if there was something else we should have done but these last few months we have just been persistent in going by there house when we had extra time and saying hi and looking for time when we could teach them.&nbsp; Finally this last week we were able to find them at their shop and we were able to share with them and then we set a FHE with them this last Monday and it was great. We talked about faith in Alma 32 and we planted really mustard seeds of faith:).</h4><h4>Then we were able to teach them again on Friday about Eternal Families. They were really repentant and sorry about not continuing to be active in the church right after they were baptized and they said that the Eternal Families is what really helped them to be interested in the church at the beginning and then they promised us and Heavenly Father in their prayer to change and to go to church, read their scriptures and pray as a family more diligently. Then this Sunday they came to church and came early! They had a great time in gospel principle and Father had a great time in priesthood. They were also interviewed by President Munoz for the Priesthood and Satay promised president to change and that he would diligently be at church from here on out. <br />I have really just been just depressed the past few months about the Gabaldon family and have been thinking maybe we should of postponed the baptism or maybe their was something different we could have done but its been a huge testimony builder to see months of praying and fasting answered. They are such a great family and I want so bad for them to be an eternal family. I cant describe how happy I am this week with the progress they've made. <br /><br />We also had a baptism this week. Mark Deiter is really good kid. We have been teaching him the past couple weeks and&nbsp; Mark Deiter has quit selling ice cream on Sunday, been reading diligently and going to church and was baptized this last Saturday by his cousin Dominic. It was a cool baptism . Another cool note, his uncle who is less active and is his employer with the ice cream and all followed Mark Deiter's example yesterday and didn't sell ice cream either and went to church with his family. It was cool.<br /><br />Also one of the coolest things that happened to us this week was that we have this investigator, Karen(about 22) that is a friend of Sister Fema Tan and we have been teaching here for a while now. At first she was being taught with Fema and she got a really cool answer to here prayer but then she went to Manila for like a month and then we found out she was back so we started teaching her again. She has been doing way awesome and has been coming to church and keeping all the commitments and this last Sunday she didn't come to church and she texted one of the members and said her dad forbade her to become aMormon and for us to not visit anymore. So since it was texted to a member we decided to go visit it her and have her tell us what was going on. Anyway we got there and she told us that she really wants to be baptized but her dad forbade her. So after talking to her for a while we felt prompted to challenge her to get on her knees pray and then go and tell her dad what was in her heart. Over those few days we prayed fervently for her dad's heart to be softened and for the spirit to be with her as she&nbsp;did this.&nbsp;And it was awesome because on Sunday she came to church said she did what we challenged her to do and that her dad said that if that's what she wants to do that it is all right! At the end though she said that she got a job in Sta. Rosa, Laguna (like 12 hours away which also happens to be the hometown of Elders Valdez and Fantony) and is going to start Tuesday and won't be back for 2 months (UUGH!!!) She said she will go to church in Laguna and that she will find the missionaries when she gets there. She also isn't sure exactly where she is going so we can't send the missionaries after her. I really do think she has the desire and the testimony to go to church there and find the missionaries. I just wish she was staying here because it was such a huge breakthrough!<br /><br />By the way Sister Fema Tan is doing awesome, she is teaching seminary and is thinking about applying for a mission or to BYU Hawaii. Cool.<br /><br />We ate at the district president's house last night. It's pretty funny, they are both RMs and their kids are named Mohonri, Moriancumer&nbsp; and Jared... Do you get it?<br /><br />Also very cool this week we were coming back to Rojas from an area a few miles out of the town and oddly there were no rides back for a good ten minutes(there are usually rides back within a minute or so) Then a car came down the road with 2 old Americans in it haha. It was a Couple! Elder and Sister Gottfriedson (spelling -- they are pretty new, last weds is the first time I've really talked to them) were headed to Rojas to help sister Fema with BYU Hawaii application so we were able to show them the way and after they did their business with sister fema they shared really great testimonies with Fema and her sister in law(our investigator as well) about the great blessing of forever families. (by the way Elder Gotfiedson is a former Mission President and was serving as patriarch when he was called on a mission) This whole week it seems like what our investigators and less active families that we are teaching have just needed to hear about eternal families.<br /><br />So if there is one thing I learned this week is what a great blessing it is to be sealed as a family. Thanks mom and dad for living the gospel and being married in the temple. I know that families can be together forever. I love you all tons. My love for each of you has especially grown as I have been away from you and I am so grateful to be in such an awesome family. <br /><br />I love you tons. Have a great week and good luck with the house!<br /><br />A.J. </h4><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fqNSniFrQ-k/UAfGYMYOFqI/AAAAAAAAA-8/esx8Ej8qGv8/s1600/P1050124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fqNSniFrQ-k/UAfGYMYOFqI/AAAAAAAAA-8/esx8Ej8qGv8/s640/P1050124.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mark Dieter (right one in white) was baptized last week by his cousin Dominic.</td></tr></tbody></table>Elder Bryce Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446045546161741434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7159796986598709642.post-63088035935678813282012-07-09T12:00:00.001-07:002012-09-27T09:05:57.609-07:00Week 89: P-day football and cotton volleyball<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U8PuTphvayY/T_sm-7xALUI/AAAAAAAAA98/KiHE2g2iqSc/s1600/P1050096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" sca="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U8PuTphvayY/T_sm-7xALUI/AAAAAAAAA98/KiHE2g2iqSc/s640/P1050096.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roxas Zone Leaders Elder Delector and Elder Griffin</td></tr></tbody></table><div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Dearest Family,</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Wow what a great week. Hope you had a great 4th of July and Go America!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">So it's been a quick week. &nbsp;First of all, my new comp is a stud. &nbsp;Elder Delector is 27 by the way. He is a convert to the church and before his mission had been an&nbsp;elementary&nbsp;school teacher (he is already finished college). He is such a nice guy -- very obedient and hard working. We had a great week here in Roxas. One thing I've learned from my mission is that whether you use time wisely or poorly and whether you have an attitude to be happy or sad, the time still flies by at an unbelievable rate. So it's a lot better to use time wisely and be happy no matter what your situation is because it goes by so fast.&nbsp;</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">For about 4 months or so we have been teaching Mark Deiter, 15-years-old, that lives with a member family here in Roxas. At first he was having a hard time getting what we were teaching (he has a hard time with Tagalog, he is Ibanug), but has been doing great and we really feel he is prepared now for baptism. He is the one I told you about selling ice cream on Sunday thing. If things go right this week he will be baptized by his cousin (a priest) this Saturday.&nbsp;</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Also, the couple that got married like a month ago is doing really well. Brother Mobydick has been like 2 and half weeks without drinking and has been doing great. I really have come to have a great friendship with their family and also with other families as well. Eternal Friendships. Anyway if he can keep it up he will be baptized on Aug 4th.&nbsp;</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">This week as well we had a meeting in Cauayan on the 4th of July. To be honest, I totally forgot it was the 4th of July until lunch when Elder Valdez (my&nbsp;companion&nbsp;last&nbsp;Christmas) said "Hey, isn't America's birthday right now?" I was like, holy cow it is! Luckily the Carlos had our back and made awesome Sloppy Joes to make the 4th of July complete. By the way, Elder Wooden become Zone Leader this last cycle and Elder Valdez has been a ZL for a couple months now. They are studs.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Earlier today we went to Ilagan and played football and had Macdos. It was awesome of course. We got to see and play ball with a lot our buddies in the mish and even though it was super hot, we got to play some awesome pigskin action. Then we topped it off with Macdonalds and shopping at the huge Savemore in Ilagan. One of the best P-days ever.&nbsp;</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">So this week we had some fantastic lessons and new commitments with some of the investigators that are interested, but have not gone to church yet and 3 investigators promised they would go to church. On Sunday we were just so convinced that this was the week they would take the big step, but we were just crushed waiting at the church and they never came. Its a weird feeling, like we just want them to find true happiness because we love them. Sometimes I get frustrated with some people we teach and as A.J. Griffin I want to just say let's not go to them anymore or drop them, they dont deserve any more chances. But then I think about the Savior and what he would do. The Savior would never give up on them, the Savior would always give them another chance. The Savior would love them.&nbsp;</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">I am so grateful and humbled to wear the Savior'</span><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">s name and share the Savior's great news to the world. I have so many weaknesses and I am so lacking for the job. It's amazing and a miracle to imagine that the Lord calls upon the weak and unlearned to do his work.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">I know the prophet Joseph Smith really received an answer to his prayer and I know that God does answer prayers. I know that the Savior did do the atonement because he loves us so much. I know that the atonement fixes everything that is unfair in life. I know that the Lord is a lord of forgiveness and mercy and how humbled I am to share that with the people here in the Cauayan Mission.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">Love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">A.J.&nbsp;</span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xGXmdy-Xdl4/T_spD20JknI/AAAAAAAAA-E/rzh68RBskX8/s1600/DSCN5624.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" sca="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xGXmdy-Xdl4/T_spD20JknI/AAAAAAAAA-E/rzh68RBskX8/s400/DSCN5624.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These next few pix are from Elder and Sister Shaner's website. The above photo <br />is Sis. Shaner and a new member of their branch.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AETK4xnaxwE/T_spYbIZBDI/AAAAAAAAA-U/-_Er6AajSiY/s1600/DSCN5753.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" sca="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AETK4xnaxwE/T_spYbIZBDI/AAAAAAAAA-U/-_Er6AajSiY/s400/DSCN5753.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Working the rice fields.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--b3Wlg_kxhY/T_spdVDx5FI/AAAAAAAAA-c/Yw8FcEbpJtM/s1600/DSCN5711.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" sca="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--b3Wlg_kxhY/T_spdVDx5FI/AAAAAAAAA-c/Yw8FcEbpJtM/s400/DSCN5711.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elder Griffin and Elder Shaner go head-to-head in cotton ball volleyball<br />at zone conference.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-whxoNOe6A1U/T_spiUuF04I/AAAAAAAAA-k/IYI2S6ucuBc/s1600/DSCN5713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" sca="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-whxoNOe6A1U/T_spiUuF04I/AAAAAAAAA-k/IYI2S6ucuBc/s400/DSCN5713.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rumor has it Elder Shaner won the match despite AJ's best efforts.</td></tr></tbody></table><div></div>Elder Bryce Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446045546161741434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7159796986598709642.post-78215755016203358122012-07-05T19:11:00.002-07:002012-09-27T09:06:16.771-07:00Week 88: Wildfires and Katie's duck friend<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lWIZIoYHm-c/T_ZIFGYI3cI/AAAAAAAAA9Y/K5IqjBi5ufU/s1600/July+4th%252C+2012+024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" sca="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lWIZIoYHm-c/T_ZIFGYI3cI/AAAAAAAAA9Y/K5IqjBi5ufU/s640/July+4th%252C+2012+024.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AJ's sister, Katie, and a friend.</td></tr></tbody></table>﻿ <span style="font-size: large;">Email exchange between AJ and his dad Sunday night:</span><br />﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿ <br />﻿﻿ <br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">﻿ <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e0cDu6NTk3U/T_ZI2AYHKmI/AAAAAAAAA9o/812pH9eX0l4/s1600/111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="252" sca="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e0cDu6NTk3U/T_ZI2AYHKmI/AAAAAAAAA9o/812pH9eX0l4/s400/111.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Evacuations in Colorado Springs.</td></tr></tbody></table>﻿ <br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: large;">AJ: Hey pops, u awake still? <br />DAD: Hey man, I just sent you some stuff a few minutes ago. You get it?<br />AJ: Yeah of the house? By they way I got a "trunky letter" this last Tuesday. I leave the mission on October 31st. I also got a new comp and I am still here in Roxas.<br />DAD: Wow, the trunky letter!!! Focus Elder!! hahaha</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">New comp eh? Another Filipino? Who and where from? Are you disappointed ur not moving?</span></div><span style="font-size: large;">AJ: A new Philippino comp. He is from Bucolod City, down south on some island. He is a stud and super nice guy, hard-working, too. He is pretty tall (for a Philippino) -- he is like 5-8 and yeah he is cool. I am fine, we have lots of cool investigators here in Roxas so I'm good staying here still. Thats a pretty crazy fire in New Harmony.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">DAD: Yeah, that fire was psycho. Only feet from my Mom and Dad's house. The whole state was practically on fire cause it's so dry. Herriman (up by SLC) Oak City (by Delta), Midway (by Manti) all had evacuations and had homes burn and stuff. Biggest fire is in Colorado. Practically the whole city of Colorado Springs went up. I think I have a pic of their evacuations ...<br />AJ: By the way, is there anything we all need to do if I were to go to BYU in winter? The other missionaries say we are supposed to get on it early. I am still not sure, but just to see if it's a possibility <br />DAD: I will have Mom check into it. I might be able to get you a job working for my cousins at BYU if you want.<br />AJ: Yeah see what you can do. That sounds good. By the way what is the name of the St. George Airport? Is is just that or something else. I will see if I can fly right into St Geezy in November.<br />DAD: Yeah, I think there is a connection flight through L.A. so you should be able to. Officially it is St. George Municipal. The airport code is SGU. Mon thru Fri. it has a flight arrive from LAX at 7:20 p.m.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">AJ: I think I will be leaving Cauyan on like a Wednesday and then leave Manila early Thursday morning philippines time then I get a day back or something so we might make it. I am not sure.</span></div><span style="font-size: large;">DAD:&nbsp;There is only one flight from LA each day. There are like eight from SLC every day.<br />AJ: Someone was telling me there is like direct flights from Manila or Hong Kong to SLC but I don't know. I guess it doesn't really matter though. They'll figure it out.<br />DAD: Yeah, Delta does a direct from Honk Kong (Paris too). Talk about a long flight! But then you would just be an hour from home. Or we could meet you in SLC.<br />AJ: I'll see if they can do STG but SLC is just fine too. <br />DAD: Friday might be bad during football season ... but we'll make it work.<br />AJ: So I guess down in Nueva Viscaya, some missionaries were involved in a serious accident earlier this week.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">*********</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">From President Carlos:<br />“Miracles come to our mission in various ways. To many missionaries, miracles come when they find an investigator who is ready to be taught. To others the miracle happens when an investigator starts keeping commitments and has a change of heart. On Tuesday June 26, another type of miracle came to our mission. <br /><br />Elder Romano Valdez was doing a companion exchange with Elder Tadena. A fellowshipper was working with them. The three of them walking abreast on the busy road. Elder Valdez suddenly felt impressed to step behind Elder Tadena and move over closer to the side of the road. Just as he stepped over he felt something whiz past him and ruffle his pant leg. He looked up to see a motorcycle speeding ahead and plow right into Elder Tadena and the fellowshipper. The motorcyclist continued on down the road, hitting two students before flipping over the cycle. In the end the two students, the driver of the motorcycle and his passenger were all killed in the accident.”</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Elder Tadena was bruised from head to toe, had a severe broken leg which required surgery but is expected to eventually fully recover. The fellowshipper received lacerations and a broken collarbone. Elder Valdez was unhurt. Yes, on Tuesday our mission experienced the miracle of protection. Praise the Lord for watching out for his missionaries!</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">***********</span><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZdWPUXFzsKg/T_ZJPNem6fI/AAAAAAAAA9w/giCI6AUp1ds/s1600/Colorado-Springs-Fire-e1340807939561.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="248" sca="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZdWPUXFzsKg/T_ZJPNem6fI/AAAAAAAAA9w/giCI6AUp1ds/s400/Colorado-Springs-Fire-e1340807939561.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colorado Springs fire.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;">AJ: </span><span style="font-size: large;">I guess this Elder Tadena was in pretty bad shape and almost lost his leg, but they said he will be able to walk again. I think they will be sending him to Manila this week. I don't really know him, but I know Elder Valdez. Pretty crazy though. They said the dude on the motorcycle was drunk.<br />DAD: Wow, lots of miracles this week. Here are a couple more Colorado Springs pix. Very sad and scary.<br />AJ: Did people die in Colorado Springs? Did it literally take out that city? <br />DAD: A couple of people died, but most got evacuated before the fire hit homes. Nearly 400 homes were destroyed. This last pic shows it. It's been 72 days since we had any measurable rain here. AJ: Wow, that looks like something out the movies. </span><span style="font-size: large;">By the way Balaich wrote me a letter he said the only time he gets to use Tagalog is on Facebook and he is at the Y.<br />DAD: Oh, that's too bad. Well I know we have three or four RMs in the ward that went Philippines, but don't know where. Bro. Miller knows Tagalog.<br />AJ: I am still shocked all the time at how many stinking languages there are in the Philippines. In our little town there is Tagalog, Ilakano and Ibanang and others as well. My comp speaks Cebuano, Illongo, Tagalog. And there are tons of tribes and if you go 30 mins down the road you can find even more different dialects. And it's like that all the way through the Philippines.<br />Anyway gotta run love you!!!!!!!! <br /><br />WEEKLY LETTER<br />Dear Family,<br /><br />Wow so what a week. First of all, on Tuesday I got the infamous "trunky letter" and am now considered to be "Pauwi na"&nbsp;or "on the way home" (people have already been doggin me for like 6 months that my mission is almost over).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Second of all, we had transfers on Thursday and Elder Velez was transferred and I am staying here in Roxas for at least another cycle (I am now 6 months in Roxas) and my new companion is Elder Delector from Bacolod City in southernish Philippines. He is 13 months or so in the mission and was the ZL is Bambang (we used to go to district meeting there when I was assigned in Aritao). He is a stud. Super hard working, kind and obedient. He is awesome. It is cool to be with someone fairly young in the mission as well. <br /><br />Anyway, work has been great and we have awesome investigators here in Roxas. One young man named Mark Deiter, 15, that we have been teaching will be getting interviewed this weekend and baptized on 14th. He lives with a member family and this last Sunday was really cool. Last week we taught him about the Sabbath and keeping it holy and then Sunday at church I was talking to him and asked him what time we could go and teach him later that day and he said that he probably couldn't listen until late because his uncle (member, but inactive) was going to make him sell ice cream after church. So I asked him if he could try to get out of working and he said he would probably get scolded for it. But I said he should try and I thought he was going to be too shy to do it. But when we went to his house later that day he was just chillin at and I asked him why he wasn't selling ice cream and he said that he told his uncle that he doesn't want to work on Sundays anymore. I was so proud of him!<br /><br />Well I got a bunch more to tell you, but we gotta get going. Love you tons!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<br /><br />Love y'all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<br />A.J.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">﻿ </div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nRYdN-I32rw/T_ZIV0bVsII/AAAAAAAAA9g/QV-dHYk5PBA/s1600/178057_3715114349697_696525741_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" sca="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nRYdN-I32rw/T_ZIV0bVsII/AAAAAAAAA9g/QV-dHYk5PBA/s640/178057_3715114349697_696525741_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Griffin property in New Harmony.</td></tr></tbody></table>﻿<br /><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Elder Bryce Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446045546161741434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7159796986598709642.post-32088736010143005162012-06-26T14:00:00.000-07:002012-06-26T14:00:19.776-07:00Week 87: Magic ice and Crocs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5-Qxj7-qYZY/T-oc_pW_WII/AAAAAAAAA9A/_shlB1nkjTY/s1600/IMG_0835.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" rca="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5-Qxj7-qYZY/T-oc_pW_WII/AAAAAAAAA9A/_shlB1nkjTY/s320/IMG_0835.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Dear Family,<br /><br />Wow time does fly on the wings of lightning. We had another great week and we had a lot great successes. We had quite a few opportunities to share the gospel with some new families and, like Dad always says, it is a truly incredible feeling to teach the gospel and see someone's testimony being born in front of you and to see the people understand the message and believe.<br /><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">This coming week is transfers and I have no idea what is going to happen. I have been here awhile ...<br /><br />Oh, some funny things that I've noticed the past couple weeks: Every day, because it's super hot, I freeze a bottle of water overnight and throughout the day drink the water (by about 5 or so it's usually all gone).&nbsp;But so many people are just stymied (how about that for some deep English) when they see it and I've been asked several time how I got such a big piece of ice into such a little bottle -- hehe. I guess it comes from the fact that&nbsp;most people don;t have their own refrigerators and just always buy ice or cold drinks from little stores in people's houses. People sell stuff out of windows of their house. There&nbsp;are usually several stores on every street.<br /><br />The other funny thing I wanted to tell you: Thanks to Elder Lundy, I was given<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k7bHkpP5BMU/T-ogks4EVsI/AAAAAAAAA9M/K3M_JxRKw1I/s1600/crocs-mens-quicktrail-low-shoes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" rca="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k7bHkpP5BMU/T-ogks4EVsI/AAAAAAAAA9M/K3M_JxRKw1I/s320/crocs-mens-quicktrail-low-shoes.jpg" width="320" /></a> some black Crocs that I use to work in sometimes (his mom sent him some and the shoes were too big). Anyway, people all the time are like "Woh! Are those original Crocs??!?!?" and I'm like, "Well, they are from America, so probably." "Wow! Sick!" (that's the basic translation). Apparently Crocs are super cool here and if you have original, that's like something amazing. So yeah. By the way, sometimes people say my shoes are like boats as well, just like Mom loves to say. haha<br /><br />On splits this week I made french toast. It was awesome. I also made pina colada smoothie, which was was awesome as well. <br /><br />So this week we went to one of our further areas and it's planting season for the rice fields in this particular area and almost all our investigator and members we were hoping to visit were in the fields, so we didn't really have anything&nbsp;else to do other than just start tracting. While tracting, we found this cool compound(group of homes and all the people are pretty much related) and we were able to share our testimonies and give them things to read (we couldn't teach all the men, they&nbsp;were busy planting), but they were really excited for us to come back, so later today we will go and visit them and later all their family members should be home). That same day we also were tracting and ran into a young sister that had been baptized in Manila a few years ago. We were able to teach her and the other people in their house. It just made me think that every person/every soul is really important to God. If our appointments didn't fall through we wouldn't have been able to visit that house or teach to that family. It really for us is super hard when all the appointments fall through but I've seen over and over again that when that happens the Lord has someone else he needs us to visit. It's super humbling to see the Lord direct us to those people and it's super great to know that we can be used by the Lord to visit his children that he loves so much. <br /><br />So I wanted to say how much I've come to love the Filipino people. They are so awesome. They are kind and loving and receptive to the gospel. They are so humble and even though they live in such hard circumstances they don't complain and are such happy people.They are so generous and will give you the shirt off their backs. I am so grateful to have been called to serve in the Philippines -- they are truly amazing people here.<br /><br />I love you so much and I am so grateful for the gospel. I know that Jesus Christ lives and that he really did pay for everything. I know that the atonement does&nbsp;fix everything that's unfair about life. I know that if we do what he says, we will find peace and true happiness in this life.<br /><br />LOVE each and every one you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</div>AJElder Bryce Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446045546161741434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7159796986598709642.post-36081537143184577712012-06-18T21:42:00.000-07:002012-06-18T21:42:12.053-07:00Week 86: The Letter Every Parent Hopes to Get Someday<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9YgRHabB9Z0/T-ACzg6uWAI/AAAAAAAAA80/g_Xg57EjKk0/s1600/101080014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" rca="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9YgRHabB9Z0/T-ACzg6uWAI/AAAAAAAAA80/g_Xg57EjKk0/s640/101080014.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Father and son, 2003.</td></tr></tbody></table><em>Editor's note: Being a parent is full of little rewards, like a kiss or hug, or maybe&nbsp;the occasional "Thanks." But sometimes you wish you could get a little more, that maybe your kids could put into words what you hope they have learned from you. I don't know if other parents get that reward. I hope they do. We got that reward yesterday from our son A.J. He probably has no idea how much this week's letter really means to us.&nbsp;Thanks Elder. -- Dad</em><br /><br /><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Dear Family,<br /><br />Happy Fathers Day! I am so thankful to be born of goodly parents and I am so thankful to be such close friends with my parents. Especially here in the Philippines I've seen how blessed I have been and what a fantastic blessing the gospel of Jesus Christ is! We are really lucky -- a lot of people are not born with the gospel and sometimes with parents that don't care&nbsp;about them too well or aren't the nicest. A few weeks ago in district meeting our district leader, Elder Rocaberte, had us write down 5 things we learned from our parents. Being especially appropriate now as it is Father's Day, I will share what&nbsp;I wrote down.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><strong>1.It is easier to be 100% obedient than 98% obedient.</strong>I remember sitting next to Dad in preisthood meeting back in the day and Pres. Monson told the story about the basketball player not playing on Sunday and I remember Dad writing down in my notebook that line and here on my mission I have really reflected about how much Mom ALWAYS was a quiet humble example of being obedient every time. So thanks to both of you. I love you<br /><br /><strong>2. Hard work is very important, and we need to be honest w/ our employer about our work. </strong>I remember working with Dad in the orchard and at basketball games and in all kinds of different things and one thing I've learned that I always try to apply is that in order to be honest, that really includes giving an honest day's effort to our employers -- and its doubly important, I've found, out here on the mission as the Savior is the employer and the cause is the greatest of all mankind. Mom is also one of the hardest working people I know.<br /><br /><strong>3. Don't hold back in being kind and generous</strong>This has taken a long time for me to learn while out on my mission and I still have a long ways to go. It's really hard to be generous and willing to give your food, time and other things to others generously and freely without expecting anything in return. Dad is one of the most generous people I know and I believe would give anything even his life for his family. I have observed and watched Mom for years come from long, hard days at work and serve others at home, in callings and constantly being about doing good. <br /><br /><strong>4. Forgive and forget and look for good in others</strong>I've done some pretty knuckle-headed things in the past and I've noticed that conflicts arise,&nbsp;even in great families, but the key that Mom and Dad have taught me is to forgive and forget and move on with life. Here in the mission, it is incredibly important to get over any hurt feelings immediately so that you can be worthy of the spirit. As with a family, it is really important (and sometimes hard) to look for good and avoid thinking about and forgiving negative traits. If we look for bad in another, Satan will help us find something really quick, but the key is to look for good in others. <br /><br /><strong>5. Honesty, doing what you say you will do </strong>From a young age I liked to sneak little snacks from the treat bucket at home and cover them with with little white lies. Fortunately, I am a terrible liar, which helped Mom and Dad teach me the importance of being honest. I have also seen Mom and Dad do things that were really hard or out of the way to fulfill a promise. When I asked them about it, I have come to learn that even in hard circumstances if we said we are going to do something, we need to do it.&nbsp; I have come to know as well that honesty is one of the most important attributes. I am thankful to have honest parents.<br /><br /><strong>6. </strong>(Oops somehow my list of 5 become 6 ... I could go on for a while, Mom and Dad, you are really awesome) but #6 is <strong>The importance of the gospel.</strong><br />I have seen for years how Mom and Dad have paid tithing faithfully through good times and bad, served in church callings, always gone to church, studied the scriptures, held family home evening (even when moody teenagers like me tirelessly opposed, at times) and have always shared their testimony through words and actions about how important the Gospel of Jesus Christ is. I have definitely gained my own testimony, especially on my mission, about this principle that you have so tirelessly taught. I know that when we do what is right, keep the commandments and do our best, things will work out -- always! I love this gospel and I know its so true! Thank your for living it your whole lives and showing&nbsp;us that. <br /><br />So I am running out of time, but things are going great. I am so thankful for our family and for you, Mom and Dad. I hope you know how much I love you and am thankful for you!<br /><br />I hope Dad has a great Fathers Day and I am so thankful for your letters and prayers.<br /><br />LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<br />A.J. </div>Elder Bryce Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446045546161741434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7159796986598709642.post-79963910828095282192012-06-11T17:55:00.003-07:002012-06-11T17:55:37.595-07:00Week 85: Heating Up in Roxas<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-85ZU0-Rh45k/T9aR0jiAQfI/AAAAAAAAA8Q/6QjZgwyXAFY/s1600/P1050039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" fba="true" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-85ZU0-Rh45k/T9aR0jiAQfI/AAAAAAAAA8Q/6QjZgwyXAFY/s640/P1050039.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roxas Zone on a p-day field trip</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">AJ and his Dad chatted through LDS.net on AJ's p-day.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>AJ:</b> Hey pops, waz up? </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Dad:</b> Hey man, how are you this fine day?!<br /><b>AJ:</b> Pretty good. I just read your letter and Mom's and I realized I've been gone a long time – everything is changing! </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Dad:</b> Yes, life is a lot different from when you left. But it's a lot the same, too. We haven't moved and may not do it at all. I think the biggest change will be the growth of your siblings. They all got ginormous!<br /><b>AJ:</b> And before you know it, they'll all be on missions too. Katie and Holly look way different! Hey, when do you start your new job?</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ELv1jmtIIfA/T9aSRfKMesI/AAAAAAAAA8Y/wbIOr8-QnDk/s1600/P1050018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" fba="true" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ELv1jmtIIfA/T9aSRfKMesI/AAAAAAAAA8Y/wbIOr8-QnDk/s320/P1050018.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Dad:</b> I start tomorrow, 8:30 a.m.<br /><b>AJ:</b> What kind of radio gigs are you doing for them? Like a sports minute kind of a thing or what? </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Dad:</b> Yeah, sports updates and contests and stuff and then games in the Fall.<br /><b>AJ:</b> Your job on the website (stgnews.com) is gonna keep ya pretty busy right? Are you still in charge of updating utahpreps? </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Dad:</b> Well, Utahpreps will cease to exist and I will be updating and doing all those stats on their site now. <br /><b>AJ:</b> Well, that's kinda sad your baby died though. </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Dad:</b> Well, it's been on life support since the recession hit, but u r right. I look at it as I am still doing it, but actually getting a regular paycheck for it.<br /><b>AJ:</b> Will you still be able to write for the Desnews occasionally or not anymore? </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Dad:</b> I never asked about that, but I think I still can. I will just have to make it different stories probably. I wrote pretty much every week in football season for DesNews last year.<br /><b>AJ:</b> Any way you could end up getting a radio show again? </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Dad:</b> Not in the morning. They do political talk in the morning. They offered me an afternoon show, but I didn't want it. It would have been at 5 p.m. Yuck!<br /><b>AJ:</b> Too bad you couldn't get like 12 or early afternoon. </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Dad:</b> It'll be good still. There are still lots of opportunities to be heard in many different ways with my new company. Hey, I gotta get some sleep, big day tomorrow. I look forward to reading your letter in the morning. I love you son. Thanks for being a great son and an example!<br /><b>AJ:</b> Love ya Pops!! I am taking off pretty quick too!!!</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">WEEKLY LETTER</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Hey family,<br /><br />How is it going? So I hear it's getting real hot over there. It's super hot here as well. So this week has been packed. We had Zone Conference in Illagan on Tuesday. The whole focus was about being worthy of and obtaining the spirit. It was really good and I learned some great stuff. <br /><br />Wednesday we went to Cauayan and had ZLC. It was also great and we had some chili and homemade bread and stuff. It was great. We learned a lot of great stuff as well. I wrote down a lot of things I really liked, but left it at home and I can't remember off the top of my head what to share other than it was really refreshing and motivated and made you want to do better and work harder and stuff. Also President Carlos had a sweet book of Vince Lomba</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s5fFF5Y3QvU/T9aS0FcjGAI/AAAAAAAAA8g/_9ziC8bXzT8/s1600/NoRegrets-Text.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" fba="true" height="140" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s5fFF5Y3QvU/T9aS0FcjGAI/AAAAAAAAA8g/_9ziC8bXzT8/s200/NoRegrets-Text.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0in;">rdi quotes. I wrote down one of them I really liked. <br /><br />He said, "Any man's finest hour, his greatest fulfillment to all he holds dear -- is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle, victorious. Leave no regrets on the field!"<br /><br />It goes along with what Pres. Carlos always says about "No regrets" (maybe that's where he got it from). Anyway, I am so thankful for the things that have happened and the things I've learned on my mission. It's been the hardest thing ever but the best. It's been amazing. I've seen so many miracles. So with the time left I want to leave it all on the field, so hopefully when I see you again I will be totally and completely exhausted in every aspect :)<br /><br />This week this couple we have been teaching since January finally got married (see the pix). It's a big step and we were really glad to see it happen. Brother Mobydick is pretty cool and still has a drinking problem but he is really trying to change. The wedding was pretty cool. I think it's the second wedding I've been to on my mission. It was held in the church. It was really good. Mobydick's family put some Catholic stuff on them during the ceremony and it was kind of weird. The branch president was really surprised and wasn't sure wha<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Nq9MxWlmc3c/T9aTBVVuTUI/AAAAAAAAA8o/i13x8ZfiQIo/s1600/P1050087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" fba="true" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Nq9MxWlmc3c/T9aTBVVuTUI/AAAAAAAAA8o/i13x8ZfiQIo/s400/P1050087.JPG" width="400" /></a>t to do. He just basically said at our church we don't believe in that stuff but whatever if you want to put it on them that's fine. Elder Shaner gave a really great talk and then the Shaners played a song duet with their piano and violin. There was a ton of food as well, so that is always a good thing.<br /><br />One of our investigators, I am pretty sure I told you about her, is a mother maybe Mom's age. After we taught her the first time (her husband was the first one we taught, she had been in Manila back in the day) she came to church and brought her kids. The really amazing part is that their house is super far away. It's like a 15 min van ride, then you get out and walk for 20 mins in the rice fields. Well she just came yesterday for the third time I think and was earlier than most members (her house is further than all of their's too). Their family has a baptismal date and we have been teaching them as a family every time, The dad is a really nice guy, but he hasn't been able to come to church yet.<br /><br />On Sunday afternoon (usually our most busy teaching time), we could find no one to teach. We went though the plans and then the back up plans and then the back up plans to the back up plans and then finally tracting and we couldn't find anyone that wanted to listen to us. After almost 3 hours of working and not teaching a single lesson we decided to go visit the Elder's quorum president (who hadn't been at church earlier that day). We went there and talked to them for a minute and then Elder Velez asked them if they had a referral. Brother couldn't think of anyone but then his wife came in and we asked her and she said she did! One of their employees that also lives with them was her referral and he let us teach him. He's really awesome and had great questions for us, is interested and is letting us come back to teach him again. It was great. I gotta say one of the most faith testing things is just having all your plans fall through and trying to do everything you can to make something happen. There have been a ton of times on my mission like that but it's such a great feeling after you find out where the Lord had been trying to lead you and it's so great to see stuff like that happen. <br /><br />Well, I gotta run, but I know the church is true. I know the Savior loves us and is with us through all we are doing. He truly labors by our side. I testify of that. I love you and have a great week!</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Love <br />A.J.</span></span></div>Elder Bryce Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446045546161741434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7159796986598709642.post-26304956016314602642012-06-04T16:57:00.000-07:002012-06-04T16:57:17.947-07:00Week 84: A Black Lion and a Narrow Path<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JvqY5fu9BVk/T81KBsLTvYI/AAAAAAAAA78/HveGF7tM64Y/s1600/317987_381053761953009_1133524197_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" fba="true" height="488" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JvqY5fu9BVk/T81KBsLTvYI/AAAAAAAAA78/HveGF7tM64Y/s640/317987_381053761953009_1133524197_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This black lion has nothing to do with AJ. I just thought it was really cool.</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Dear Family,<br /><br />So we are just barely emailing right now as we had an activity in Tabuk yesterday that took longer than we anticipated so we got up early today to write a little but but I am not gonna be too long as we gotta catch a bus in a few minutes to go to zone conference.<br /><br />So a few quick things that happened this week. By the way its planting season again here in the roxas area. Its my favorite time as the fields are beautiful. In all the rice fields their are these little paths of pretty much grass about 6 inches to a foot wide that are usually slippery, With muddy rice fields on either side about 3 feet deep.&nbsp; Anyway the other we met a LA member we had been looking for for a couple weeks now. Anyway we asked if we could come to his house <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gkrAYm7tBW0/T81KnhyUU_I/AAAAAAAAA8E/NxXHlCV77ug/s1600/IMG_1367.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" fba="true" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gkrAYm7tBW0/T81KnhyUU_I/AAAAAAAAA8E/NxXHlCV77ug/s400/IMG_1367.JPG" width="400" /></a>and share a message to him and his family. He was reluctant and kept saying to path was too hard to get to his house. We assured him we could make it and eventually we left and followed him though the fields to his house. We had to go about half a mile though the rice fields on those tiny slippery paths. Back in my second area we had a similar situation and I splipped back in the day in the mud haha. Fortunately I did better this time and we made it too his house mud free. There were a couple close calls but we made it. It was kind of fun to be honest. haha<br /><br />Also that same day taught one more lesson in that area and because of the field detour we were late to our appointment with a new family we had only taught once so far. We were about a 25 min walk away and there are usually not any rides that time of night. We ll I guess we really needed to teach that family because a tryce came by and we were able to get a ride and just as we were arriving the family was locking up their gate because they thought we weren't coming. They let us in and the whole family was there and ready to listen. We shared the Restoration Story challenged them to pray and gave them a Book of Mormon. The spirit was strong.<br /><br />Also one of our investigators is a Dad with 5 kids I think, and his wife and kids are all active members. His name is Brother Laggui. Anyway he has been taught by the missionaries for something like 4 or 5 years and could never get rid of his drinking problem. Even we have been teaching him since I was transferred to roxas, same story. These past few weeks have been very cool though. He has not drank in a couple weeks and even told that one day he was feeling really week and just wanted to go drinking but he didnt have any money, so he went to a couple of his friends house to see if they had any alcohol but they didnt. He thought about searching for some at some other friends house but decided not to anymore, but to just go home and be with his family! Anyway we really think that now might be his time and I really hope so because he and his family are so great! We have been praying really hard for him and this week he came to church for the first time since I have been in roxas!<br /><br />So one of our investiators(his wife is a member) is getting married this week(they were living together but werent married yet) so that really great and I got a million of other things to tell you but we gotta take off.<br /><br />I really know this gospel is true. The philippines and this mission has changed me forever. I will never be the same person and I never know how much Heavenly Father loves his children. I love you tons!!!!!!!!!!!!<br /><br /><br />Love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<br /><br />A.J.</div>Elder Bryce Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446045546161741434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7159796986598709642.post-76164325994365260732012-05-30T12:56:00.000-07:002012-05-30T12:56:02.865-07:00Week 83: Hot and Rainy in Roxas<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0pcvKA1PNzo/T8Z7PNfZPeI/AAAAAAAAA7w/Im_GqAiI33U/s1600/asP1030772.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" rba="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0pcvKA1PNzo/T8Z7PNfZPeI/AAAAAAAAA7w/Im_GqAiI33U/s640/asP1030772.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Times, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif; font-size: large;">Dear Family,<br /><br />Howdy Y'all! So its been a hot, rainy and great week of sharing the gospel here in Roxas. <br /><br />So this we week had another cool experience. We were working Saturday after lunch and we had 30 mins before a meeting at the church, so after our plan fell through we just started walking in the general direction of the church and then after a bit we decided to turn down a certain street, then as we walked by a few houses we just felt a strong prompting to go to a house that was a bit hidden by trees and stuff. We went in the yard and tao po'ed. A man answered and after talking to others in the house he let us in and we were able to share&nbsp;with them. It was husband and wife and then some of their siblings. They received our message very well and asked us some of those questions like why are there lots of churches and stuff. They already have friends and people they know that are active members. They are really great and we got a return appointment to them on Wednesday!<br /><br />By the way Sister Fema Tan(recent convert) is doing really great and was just called to be a seminary teacher for the group of youth in her barangy. She still wants to go on a mission really bad (she is 32 and single). President told her no however.&nbsp; She always asks us to tell President Carlos to let her go on a mission. We told her if Pres. Carlos said No that probably means she needs to get ready for Temple Marriage. Her brother Brian has been in the MTC for about a week and sounds like he is doing good. I guess Elder Nelson of the 12 came to Manila and talked to the mission presidents and their wives as well as the missionaries in the MTC. <br /><br />I guess President Carlos's Mother died and he is going to the funeral this week. Keep him in your prayers. <br /><br />We had another really cool contact this week near the Tan's house. Our planned appointments fell through and we went to follow up an oym. We went to this house that we had oym'ed an old lady and when we got there a young wife answered and said she has seen us going to houses around there and has been waiting for us to go to her house. She also said the old lady we had oym'ed went home to Pangasianan and took the pamphlet with here. Any way we talked to her for a few minutes and gave a Book of Mormon, and set a return appointment for when her husband would be home. On Friday we went back and unfortunately her husband was drunk, but she was really excited and read parts of the pamphlet and Book of Mormon. Her husband promised us that next time we come back he won't be drinking so we will be going back this week. <br /><br />Yesterday was kind of interesting&nbsp;--&nbsp;we were going to teach in a certain area and on this neighborhood road was a drunk dude sleeping in the middle of the road (it was only like 4 o clock too). At first we thought it was a bag of rice or something, but as we got close we saw it was a dude. My comp and the Young Men working with us were ahead a little bit and just walked by and were like he is drunk.. and kept walking and I am like guys we can't just leave here in the middle of road. So we talked to some of the neighbors and found someone that knew him. We decided to pick him up and throw him in a tryce so they could take him home. As we were picking him up he woke up and kind of started freaking out and was like WHY?? WHY?? I DONT WANT TO (All in in Ilokano by the way). And the Filipino dude that was carrying him was like well, he doesnt want to and then just dropped him. I was carrying him by the arms so at least he didn't bang his head. Anyway then he pulled himself up by a barb wire fence (looked really painful but he was so wasted he didnt feel anything)&nbsp; and started walking off (very wobbly). Then all the other people left and the drunk guy started leaving so we left too. We went back down that road like an hour later and he wasn't there anymore so maybe he made it home.<br /><br />Then later that night we were at the house of some less active members and it was raining cats and dogs for about an hour. It really wasn't that long but like half the neighborhood we were in got flooded. When we left the water was up to almost to the knees(on Filipinos) and about halfway up my calf. Needless to say we got soaked. I was really surprised, the rain wasnt that long and the flood was already huge. I think the whole town of Roxas would be under water if it rained real good like that for a few days. <br /><br />Well I know the church is true and I know the mission is awesome. I can't believe how fast time is and how many miracles I've seen and how many great things that have happened while on my mission. This morning I read about Jesus Christ's voice speaking to the people in ancient America that survived all the earthquakes and stuff.(3 nephi 9). He commanded us that the sacrifice we give him is not one of blood or animals, but of a broken heart and contrite spirit. I know that as we do this in our lives we will feel the power of the atonement and that is the key to real happiness. I know that Jesus Christ lives and that Thomas S. Monson is the prophet, seer and revelator in our time. I know that Joseph Smith saw what he said he saw and that what said happened really did happen. I feel so grateful to share this message with the great people here in Philippines.<br /><br />Love You!!!!!!!<br />A.J.</span>Elder Bryce Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18446045546161741434noreply@blogger.com0